Puyallup School District To Suspend 18 Bus Routes This Month

PUYALLUP, WA — The Puyallup School District is suffering severe bus driver staffing shortages and, as a result, says it has made the difficult decision to suspend more than a dozen school bus routes later this month.

"We understand any news regarding the temporary suspension of bus runs creates an incredible disruption and has very real consequences," the district said. "Suspending bus runs is absolutely the last resort."

Suspensions are set to begin Nov. 22 for the following routes:

• Routes 74 and 77 to Aylen Junior High
• Route 74 to Puyallup High School
• Route 56 to Dessie Evans Elementary
• Route 92 to Edgemont Junior High
• Route 92 to Mt. View Elementary
• Route 92 to Northwood Elementary
• Route 25 to Emerald Ridge High School
• Route 25 to Shaw Road Elementary
• Route 56 to Ferrucci Junior High
• Route 37 to Firgrove Elementary
• Route 28 to Glacier View Junior High
• Route 83 to Kalles Junior High
• Route 83 to Meeker Elementary
• Route 47 to Rogers High School
• Route 63 to Sunrise Elementary
• Route 77 to Waller Road Elementary
• Route 37 to Woodland Elementary

The district is holding out hope that not all the currently planned suspensions will need to go through: Initially, the plan had been to suspend 27 routes, but the district has managed to secure staffing and reinstate nine routes, including:

• Route 37 to Ballou Junior High
• Route 28 to Emerald Ridge High School
• Route 63 to Hunt Elementary
• Route 74 to Karshner Elementary
• Route 47 to Pope Elementary
• Route 63 to Stahl Junior High
• Route 56 to Sunrise Elementary
• Route 61 to Walker High School
• Route 26 to Wildwood Elementary

"The district will continue to problem solve every possible way we can get students to school," the district said. "As such, there is a possibility that more runs will be reinstated based on this work, but we are committed to providing families with enough time to plan for transportation in a ‘worst case scenario.'"

Families who want more information on the route closures, can verify bus runs online.