Bus driver shortage causing fewer field trips for Hannibal students

HANNIBAL (WGEM) - If your child goes to the Hannibal Public School District, they may be going on fewer field trips this year.

That’s because the district does not have enough bus drivers to bring students out of town.

Superintendent Susan Johnson said the school district still needs to hire more full-time and substitute bus drivers. It’s an issue they’ve been facing for more than a year.

At the school board meeting Wednesday night, Johnson informed the school board that there may be fewer field trip opportunities for students because they do not have enough bus drivers.

Johnson said teachers, principals and other faculty members have stepped up to fill in as subs.

She said they plan to take field trips that are within city limits.

“Really wanting to refrain from doing field trips outside from anything here locally within the city limits of Hannibal just because we don’t have enough bus drivers to drive people where they need to go and do the routes that we need to take to bring kids to school and also take them home,” Johnson said.

Johnson said they have considered merging routes together or even pushing back athletic events to make it easier for the drivers.

She hopes the issue will be alleviated during the winter sports season.

Johnson encourages people to apply to become a bus driver. If you are interested, click here to learn more information.

Also at the school board meeting, Johnson discussed how the district got grant money to build a new classroom for ag students.

The school board also approved food service bids, the career ladder plan and raising the mileage rate reimbursement to 59 cents per mile.

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