West Fargo School District to expand walkable zones amid bus driver shortage

West Fargo, North Dakota – In an effort to manage the ongoing bus driver shortage, West Fargo School District is contemplating an adjustment to its transportation policies come autumn.

Presently, the district establishes a ‘walkable zone’ – a circumference of approximately 0.9 miles around each school within which students are ineligible for bus services. This boundary is set to widen in the coming school year.

“We are faced with the necessity to reduce our requirement for drivers, hence, we’ll be establishing a one-mile radius for elementary schools and a 1.5-mile radius for secondary schools,” explained Brad Redmond, the district’s Transportation Director.

This step comes in response to a critical shortage in bus drivers across the district.

“Over the past three years, we’ve experienced a considerable drop in the number of full-time drivers, from thirty-four to merely fourteen, resulting in a loss of twenty positions,” remarked Redmond.

Despite efforts to attract new recruits, including wage increments, the situation remains critical.

“We remain optimistic that with time, our staffing issues will resolve, allowing us to revert to the original bus service zones,” added Redmond.

The district believes that extending the walkable zones might alleviate the risk of cancelling bus services. However, Redmond warns that this change could affect hundreds of students, necessitating them to find alternative means to school.