Driver Shortages Pinching Melrose Schools' Transportation

MELROSE, MA — Hiring troubles seem to have sprawled into every corner of American life, and with them come unanticipated issues.

In Melrose, the school district is struggling to staff its transportation efforts. It's leading to significant budget problems.

Melrose Public Schools provides transportation for special education, foster and homeless students. Right now it has six drivers and no monitors for 62 students.

The lack of drivers means the district is outsourcing its transportation needs to more expensive third parties or reimbursing parents' mileage. The district has already used nearly half its $834,561 budget. The last three years saw final costs of $905,335, $701,226 and $744,730 — expenses that will almost certainly be eclipsed this year.

"Are we going to end up spending a million dollars on transportation this year?" asked School Committee Chair Ed O'Connell.

"Yes," answered Director of Finance and Administrative Affairs Leia DiLorenzo-Secor.

The transportation costs are still fluid — the district recently onboarded a few more students.

"We're hoping it will plateau at some point and we'll have a better idea in the next couple months how under or over we will go," Secor said.

Some transportation costs are eligible for some state reimbursement, and Secor said the district is "always on the lookout" for additional grants and funding sources.

The district hopes to address its driver shortage at a job fair Thursday, Nov. 18, at the middle school cafeteria.

"We are looking for a variety" of full- and part-time positions, Superintendent Julie Kukenberger said. That includes drivers, as well as teaching positions, hall monitors, para positions, crossing guards, food service workers and others.

"We're asking folks to come curious," Kukenberger said. "You could leave with a job."

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi and Instagram at Melrose Happening. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.

Watch the full School Committee meeting here.