Northeastern schools closes because of bus staff shortage

The Northeastern Local School District closed Wednesday because of a staffing shortage affecting busing, according to a post on the district’s website.

“Today’s staffing shortage affects our transportation department for various reasons,” said the district’s communications representative, Steffanie Stratton.

Transportation was stillprovided for Global Impact STEM Academy, Catholic Central and Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center (CTC) students.

Northeastern High School students who attend those schools had to be at the campus by 7:10 a.m. Wednesday and needed to be picked up at 3:15 p.m. in the afternoon.

Transportation for the Kenton Ridge High School students in those schools ran normally.

With students being out of school, it will be used as a calamity day and assignments will be treated as they would for a snow day or any other weather-related closure, Stratton said.

No other details surrounding the closing were available.

Several area schools recently were still struggling with busing shortages. District are hiring for both permanent and substitute bus drivers, with starting wages between $13 and $23 per hour, depending on the district.

Northeastern is one district that has been dealing with the same issues as others when it comes to the bus driver shortage. When there isn’t enough drivers, the district either has to split routes or divide them up, or in some cases like this, close school.

In Butler County, Hamilton City Schools sent parents a message that said it is seeing a shortage of school bus drivers and warned parents afternoon bus routes may be delayed.

“We anticipate considerable delays in drop-off times and apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” the notice said. “The issue will primarily affect our elementary school bus routes.”