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Local public schools are short bus drivers before the first day of school

Virginia Beach City Public Schools are short 22 bus drivers. Portsmouth needs 10 bus drivers, and Chesapeake needs 14.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — Virginia Beach City Public Schools currently doesn't have enough bus drivers for the first day of school.

"We are 22 drivers down right now and school starts Tuesday. We won't have enough certified drivers to cover the 22 vacancies we have," Director of Transportation David Pace said.

Transportation Director for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, David Pace, said bus driver shortages is a national problem.

Currently, other schools across Hampton Roads need drivers too. Portsmouth needs 10 bus drivers and Chesapeake needs 14.

"I've been doing this job in transportation for 35 years and this is the most challenging year ever for us," Pace said.

Pace said the plan is to rely on other school staff to get students to and from school safely.

He said, "We are going to use everybody in this office other employee groups technicians, office associates, supervisors who are certified to drive a school bus by the Commonwealth of Virginia. You have to have that certification."

Pace said that won't be enough. Bus drivers may have to double back. That means drivers will pick up one group of students and then come back for the rest due to the shortage. He said the downside is it could run the busses late.

Pace said no matter the driver shortage there's one goal and it's to keep students safe.

"The primary mission, the primary mission is to get children safely to and from their places of instruction," he said.

If you want to apply to become a Virginia Beach City Public Schools bus driver, click here.

If you want to become a Portsmouth Schools Bus Driver, click here.

If you want to be a Chesapeake Schools bus driver, any interested applicants should call the Chesapeake Schools Human Resources Department at 547-0001 or click here.

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