School bus driver shortage could be dramatic next year for North Valley

No buses for CBCS?

[ By Mark Reaman ]

With the retirement of Crested Butte Community School bus driver Bill Kastning, no Re1J school bus drivers live in the north valley and that could result in no bus service for CBCS students in the 2021-22 school year.

Gunnison Watershed School District transportation and facilities manager Paul Morgan said the lack of bus drivers is a problem all over the country and Gunnison and Crested Butte are not immune. He said when fully staffed there are four routes for the North Valley for the CBCS and eight in Gunnison. As of right now there would be no bus routes for CBCS next year and two of the Gunnison routes would be consolidated. A final decision on what to do will come August 1.

“We are really hoping to find some drivers for next year,” he said. “We pay for training and the drivers make about $16/hour with a minimum of four hours a day. Drivers working 30 or more hours a week get 100-percent medical coverage.”

Interested people can apply at the Lake administration building in Gunnison or on the district website.