WILMINGTON, N.C. -- New Hanover County has 13 open bus driver positions, and a middle school principal believes it's affecting some students.

• Four open positions and nine bus drivers on long-term medical leave account for the missing drivers
• When students arrive late from the second bus round, they're put at a disadvantage
• During a recent bus driving class in July, of the 46 people who signed up, eight actually showed up and completed the course

Four open positions and nine bus drivers on long-term medical leave account for the missing drivers, according to New Hanover County's Director of Transportation, Ken Nance.

Myrtle Grove Middle School principal, Cyndy Bliss, said having too few drivers affects how they operate.

"Every morning we have three buses and each afternoon we have three buses that have to do two loads of children," said Bliss. "So, they drop off a load in the morning at about 7:55 and then go back and get another load of children."

The second load of students is supposed to arrive around 8:15 a.m. since morning announcements start at 8:23 a.m., but they're experiencing delays.

Bliss said when students arrive late from the second bus round, they're put at a disadvantage.

"Those kids tend to be late for class, not prepared for the day and it just is difficult for them to start their day already behind," said Bliss.

The school has been working with the double load bus system for at least two years.

Nance said doubling up on routes isn't an uncommon practice, just like having bus driver vacancies is a new norm.

"Each and everyday we have about 13 buses without drivers and we fill in using sub-drivers, and using staff to drive those buses each day," said Nance.

During a recent bus driving class in July, of the 46 people who signed up, eight actually showed up and completed the course. Of the eight, Nance said only four passed the written test.

"I think it's something you got to want to do," said Nance. "Again, because it's an unusual schedule, a lot of traffic in this town to drive a school bus in, you have to be able to deal with children, so there's a lot of special quality it takes to be a school bus driver."

The county just completed another class last week, and they hope to fill some of those positions.