A group of eager soccer players wait as their bus slowly makes it around the corner and over the speed bump at Triton.  Today is their final away game, and as usual, they waited over an hour to get a bus.  

“Everyone is used to the late buses.” Said Triton soccer player Kaeden Carlson.    

The delay is becoming the new normal for all Triton students, even athletes.  With the shortage of bus drivers, routes have been redrawn, drivers are going on longer routes, and students have to stay on their toes for constantly changing routes. 

America fell into a nationwide bus driver shortage seven years ago in 2014. There simply weren’t enough drivers with qualified Commercial Driver’s Licenses to fill the needed spots throughout the country. This problem has affected more than just the schools.  It has impacted all levels of transportation everywhere from commercial trucks to school buses.  And since this all started, Triton’s transportation has had to deal with the growing issue.

At Triton, the problem has become more than just a bus driver shortage.  Students are beginning to notice the food shortage at Triton. 

“I’ve been hoping for pizza the last couple of weeks, but there hasn’t been any.” Said Triton student Grant Schoerder.

  With enough drivers, the Triton menu would usually have pizza on monday, and other items like chicken nuggets on wednesdays.  But with the Diver shortage, the menu has been all over the place.

Today, people are just starting to notice the shortage of bus drivers.  With the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn’t been a need for driver’s because of the online school.  Now, with an end in sight, the need for drivers is becoming a major problem.  In Chelsa Mass, the National Guard surprised students when they picked up students in fatigues 

The shortage is more than just getting people to and from school.  Triton’s athlete’s have had to wait sometimes hours for a bus.  With no one to pick them up until someone is done with their routes.  Members of the soccer team have gotten used to the long wait.

“The long wait makes us late for almost every away game, we haven’t even gotten enough time to warm up.”  Says soccer player Nick Hubbard-Brucher. 

Although most high school students have the ability to drive and haven’t been noticed by most kids.  The problem is more apparent to middle school students and kids in elementary school.  As well as the food shortage that has affected all four locations at Triton.