Florida parent claims students waiting more than an hour for bus

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County parents are frustrated with delays. One parent says her children are waiting more than an hour for the school bus to take them home.

Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), like many other districts, are dealing with a shortage of bus drivers. Because of this, the district has had to put a double route system in place which means a driver will drop students off and then return to pick up or drop off other students after finishing that route. Right now, OCPS is short 100 drivers.

However, one OCPS parent says her children are waiting more than an hour for a bus to bring them home every day. Her son goes to Walker Middle School and lives just five minutes away, but said it's taking close to two hours to get home.

"My son gets out at 4 pm," said the parent who did not want to share her name. "He doesn’t get home from the bus close to 6 pm."

She also says her daughter in high school is dealing with long waits for the school bus after school and claims it didn't show up Monday. The mother also said the morning bus is late for her son so she changed her work schedule in order to drive him to school. 

"I was told by the lady in the front office that until more people apply to become bus drivers this is just the way it’s going to be," the mother said.

Orange County Public Schools says they are reviewing ridership and routes to see if some of the double backs can be consolidated.

Many school districts are dealing with this issue. Osceola County Public Schools says they have 23 routes that do not have a bus driver assigned to them which means their drivers are doing double routes too. 

Seminole County Public Schools are short 68 drivers but say between office staff and other employees they've been making it work so there aren't delays.

Brevard County Public Schools didn't provide a specific number but it also has open bus driver positions.

OCPS has three upcoming job fairs scheduled from 9 a.m. till noon on Sept. 12 at Eric Olson Compound;  Sept. 19 at Pine Hills Compound; and Sept. 26 at Hanging Moss Compound.