Asheville City Schools Buses Reach Capacity, Drivers Urgently Needed To Accommodate Increasing Student Enrollments

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A significant hike in the number of commuter-dependent students attending Asheville City Schools (ACS) has led to an urgent call for more bus drivers to meet increasing transportation needs.

Increased Student Enrollments Prompt Shift in Bus Capacity Limits

ACS Transportation Director, Amanda Rigsby, attributes the unexpected surge in student enrollments primarily to the easing up of pandemic-related concerns. Parents, she believes, are gaining confidence in their children’s return to school and traditional modes of transportation, thereby leading to a spike in commuter-students numbers.

“We haven’t seen this level of enrollment in student transportation since pre-pandemic,” Rigsby said. “We had higher numbers last year at around 1,600. I never anticipated 1,900.”

At present, the number of students registered to commute via ACS’s buses is 1,903. There are currently 22 drivers making adjustments to their daily routes to accommodate the influx of students. Some ACS buses are now servicing two elementary schools and driving secondary routes to accommodate “three more campuses,” according to Rigsby.

Parents Raise Concerns About Overcrowded Buses

Feedback from ACS parents paints a worrying image of the school buses’ current capacity constraints. Reports of highschoolers sitting on the floor, four children squeezed onto a single seat, and buses with every seat filled are raising significant concerns about student safety and comfort during their commute.

“High schoolers sitting on the floor in the aisle last week was alarming,” conveyed one parent alarmingly, while another parent remarked, “My daughter is on, what she calls, an overcrowded bus in the afternoons. There are four kids to a seat.”

ACS Invites Parents and Locals to Join as Bus Drivers

Rigsby encourages parents to consider joining the ACS transport team as bus drivers. “I love to talk to parents,” Rigsby enthused. “I’ve recruited going through the line at Ingles — it was just a word of mouth. Just saying, ‘Why don’t you come to work for us?’ I’ll ask if people know anybody.”

Currently, other staff members at ACS, including custodians, support staff, and principals, do not assist with driving. Nonetheless, Rigsby confirmed that this matter has been brought up in discussions, suggesting possible expansion in driver recruitment strategies, given the unexpected “high rise numbers” of commuting students.

Safe Commutes and Future Plans

Rigsby assured parents and staff that ACS is not violating safety regulations. She maintained that buses are not accepting students beyond their capacity limit. However, she recommends parents to use the Chipmunk bus-tracking app, a handy tool to stay informed about route changes and bus schedules.

Those wishing to apply for a bus driver position or know someone who may be interested are encouraged to contact the ACS central office for further details.