BVSD bus driver shortage moves mountain students to risky remote stops, raising safety concerns

When students from a subdivision near Gross Reservoir headed out for the first day of school, they found their BVSD bus stop had been moved to a new location: along Flagstaff Road by Walker Ranch Open Space — “in the middle of nowhere,” according to Julie Faerman, a parent at Manhattan Middle School.

Faerman and another parent referred to the new stop as dangerous during a Boulder Valley Board of Education meeting this month, citing that Flagstaff Road has no shoulder, no sidewalk, no cell service and is a 30 mph zone. The bus route for this small neighborhood previously stopped at each student’s driveway.

“I wonder if any of the people in the routing department have actually driven the route to see where these kids are going to be left,” Faerman said.

The neighborhood, known as Lakeshore Park, is assigned to Flatirons Elementary, one of the district’s under-enrolled schools at risk of reduced services and potential closure. High housing costs are driving declining enrollment in some areas of the Boulder Valley School District and also affecting bus route availability. As part of a districtwide effort, the new Flagstaff Road stop is an attempt to consolidate routes due to a persistent shortage of drivers.

This bus driver shortage is not unique to Boulder; it’s a nationwide issue that the pandemic has only worsened. Reports suggest that many drivers have left for jobs at companies like Amazon, drawn by better pay or more stable hours. In Boulder, the high cost of living compounds the problem, making it even more difficult to attract and retain bus drivers — a challenge the district has faced since at least 2017. To address this issue and maintain current routes, the district is looking to hire at least 16 bus drivers, offering wages of up to $29.50 per hour, along with health and dental benefits.

If not, Rob Price, assistant superintendent of operational services, told BVSD families in a July email, “we will be forced to cut routes, and some eligible students will not be able to ride the bus. For many of these students, the school bus is the only way to get to school.”

Parents at the board meeting acknowledged the issue but believe their kids deserve a safe bus stop, and spoke to BVSD transportation director Anthony Skala about the issue.

“I brought these safety issues up to Tony Skala. He informed me that mountain areas are considered remote by the board and do not need to follow the transportation guidelines,” said James Ausburger, a parent of a Manhattan Middle School student affected by the new stop.

BVSD spokesperson Randy Barber said that while the district ideally would offer a bus option for every student, it’s not feasible due to the shortage, nor is it legally required. According to Barber, districts are only obligated to provide transportation to students who are on an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, which is for those students with a disability.

About 182 BVSD students living in mountain areas where public transportation is unavailable have been affected by this year’s consolidation. Last year, there were seven routes serving these students. This year, there are five.

Not all mountain areas were impacted this year. “We also have mountain routes that transport students up to Nederland, Jamestown and Gold Hill. Some of these routes were affected by consolidations in previous years, but not this year,” said Susan Cousins, BVSD operational services communications manager.

For students in Boulder who do have access to RTD, the new Zero Fare for Youth program, which was piloted last fall for anyone 19 and under, has been permanently adopted, allowing students more flexibility in riding to and from school.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of the middle school parent quoted. The correct spelling is Julie Faerman, not Fareman.