Jennifer Goodnow has worked as a bus driver with the Wappingers Central School District for the last two and a half years.

She loves her job, but right now, the district is working its way through a pretty severe bus driver shortage.

"Needless to say, due to the COVID pandemic, it has been that much more challenging to find bus drivers," said Dr. Dwight Bonk, Wappingers Central School District superintendent.

Wappingers is the largest school district transportation provider in New York. With over 10,000 students in their care, the district has 260 buses and 240 employees, but it's struggled throughout the pandemic to keep enough drivers on staff to cover all of the routes.

Of the district's 172 routes, Wappingers schools had to subcontract out 35 of them just to get enough drivers. The district was also forced to consolidate their routes, and eliminated 15 of them.

According to the New York Association for Pupil Transportation survey, 80% of members have reported that the driver shortage in their district was moderate-to-severe.

"I think that the initial shortage occurred because there was a need to examine salaries and benefits," said Bonk.

But COVID and a slew of recent retirements made it worse. Goodnow says several drivers have recently left the team.

"Couple people, it was time. They did their time, maybe they were here 30 years, heading south, and like many jobs, one goes out, another one comes in," Goodnow said.

To encourage more people to apply to become bus drivers, the district is offering bus driver training, something an applicant would typically have to pay for, at an outside driver education company.

"This is an excellent opportunity. You're going to be trained, the hours are particularly great, especially If you're raising a family, or if you're just looking for part-time work," said Goodnow.