CLACKAMAS, Ore. -- Some parents in the North Clackamas School District are frustrated after confusion surrounding bus routes. The school district says it has been dealing with a challenging bus driver shortage.
It started out routine, but then Kim, a mother of a student who attends school in the North Clackamas district, couldn't believe what happened.
“Suddenly my son and two other little boys got off the bus and the bus driver said there's not enough room, they will just have to wait. I'll go to the school, drop a shift off and come back," Kim said.
That's when she took matters into her own hands.
“I think I was just shocked and then was like, 'No, I’ll take the kids to school. They are not standing on the corner.' So I got permission from their parents and took a shift of kids to school.”
Some parents at Spring Mountain Elementary School say they were shocked to learn about changes to the bus routes right before the end of the school year. Many found out from their kids.
“A lot of parents have not been notified. Finding out they have come home on their own,” said Gloria, whose kids take the bus.
An email home to parents notified them a bus driver shortage had reached a critical level. That means bus routes had to be changed and consolidated, and some buses might not have room to pick up students living within a mile of the school.
“So that inconvenience will continue for some students and families, and for that we apologize,” said NCSD communications director Jonathan Hutchison. “We are trying to manage the situation in the least inconvenient and the least disruptive way, but it reflects the reality of our workforce.”
Parents we talked to say they were notified too late.
“We want better communication to parents letting us know where our kids are,” said Gloria.
They hope the school district lets them know ahead of time if there are any further complications due to the bus driver shortage.
“When things happen, when instances arise, they should let parents know right off the bat," Kim said. "And so we are not wondering what is going on with our children.”
An email to parents on Wednesday from the transportation director acknowledged students and families living within 1 mile of the school did not get advanced notice the changes would take place.