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Many Suffolk Public School parents are frustrated with what seems to be a lack of bus drivers, resulting in delayed pick-up and drop-off times for their kids.

On Jan. 17, Christina Riendeau submitted a news tip stating her son, who is a kindergartener at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School, gets picked up or dropped off late by his bus at least twice a week. She specifically mentioned a time when the bus had not yet come at 8:50 a.m., and twice in one week, he did not get dropped off until after 5 p.m.

On Dec. 13, one parent posted screenshots of two voicemails left by SPS on the same morning. The first voicemail, left at 7:29 a.m. stated the bus was running later than usual. The second voicemail was left about an hour later, stating the bus was just starting its route due to mechanical issues.

Twenty-two comments were made on the post, mainly consisting of parents sharing similar frustrations with delayed bus routes. 

One commenter shared screenshots of text messages from SPS stating the Elephant’s Fork route 6 was delayed because of “limited bus driver availability.”

One comment reads, “You can not leave children outside for hours waiting. It is absolutely disgusting!” 

The Suffolk News-Herald reached out to SPS for comment on this issue and received a written statement from Transportation Director Kevin Privott that reads as follows: 

“Due to a recent critical shortage of driver personnel, the department has faced inconsistent bus times. While navigating this obstacle it is our goal to continue communication with our parents.  Parents are notified by phone and email daily when bus times differ from their scheduled times.  Parents should contact their students’ schools if they are not receiving messages to ensure that the most up to date contact information is on file. It is always our goal to get students to and from school safely and in a timely manner. The department has an upcoming Job fair on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. The community and anyone interested in becoming a bus driver is encouraged to attend.”