FORT MYERS, Fla. — As we get ready for this school year, Lee County has made some changes to its bus systems.
So as your Fort Myers community correspondent, I went on a ride-along to get a feel for what students could experience when they climb aboard in less than two weeks.
One challenge the Lee County School District has experienced during the last 2 school years is a shortage of bus drivers.
In 2022, the district needed to hire 129 drivers. The Executive Director of Transportation for Lee County Schools, Jarriad McKinney, says that by the first day of this school year, that need will drop to 70.
But we know for many of you with children in the home, you're also concerned about wait times, too.
I spoke with the district's director of transportation about those concerns.
"With proximity coming into play this school year, we did reduce 64 routes," says McKinney. He said arrival times should be more consistent.
"Also with elementary proximity in place, it also gives us a chance to make it to things a little bit more on time," says McKinney.
Time and safety are at the top of many's minds this school year.
McKinney tells Fox 4 that the bus routes will remain the same as summer for the first two weeks of school and are subject to change after that.
If you have not already, he suggests all parents download the WHERETHEBUS APP so they can track their children at any time.
