District 196 Addresses Bus Driver Shortages
If your kid's bus has been late — or just didn't show up — you're not imagining things.
District 196 Superintendent Michael Bosone addressed the ongoing bus driver shortage at Sunday night's school board meeting, and he didn't sugarcoat it. The district is struggling to keep enough drivers behind the wheel, and families across Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Burnsville are feeling it.
So How Bad Is It?
The district runs 220 buses and moves more than 22,000 students every day. Last week, between 94% and 98% of those buses ran on schedule. That sounds decent until you think about it — even at 98%, that's four or five buses a day not making their routes. At 94%, you're talking more than a dozen.
When a bus doesn't show, it's not just a minor hassle. Parents scramble to rearrange work. Childcare plans fall apart. Kids miss class time. Bosone called improving reliability "a top priority" and said the district is looking at short-term and long-term fixes, though he didn't get into specifics.
This isn't just a District 196 problem either. An MPR News report from January found that districts across Minnesota are still dealing with the fallout from pandemic-era driver losses — an aging workforce, hiring struggles, and chronic illness all making things worse. And KSTP reported back in October that south metro parents were already frustrated, with one District 196 spokesperson saying bluntly: "If there's no driver, there is no bus."
What's Being Done About It
There is some movement. The board just approved a new two-year contract with SEIU Local 284, the union representing bus drivers, chaperones, and crossing guards. Here's what's in it:
- Year one: $0.75/hour raise across the salary schedule
- Year two: $0.90/hour raise
- Health insurance: District contribution jumps 15% the first year, 9% the second
- Retirement: Drivers can now access the district's matching 403(b) after three years instead of six
The hope is that better pay and benefits bring in new drivers and keep the ones they have. Whether it's enough is still an open question — districts statewide have been bumping pay and still can't fill seats.
The district has also updated its transportation page with an FAQ section for families. If your route's been affected, that's the place to check.
The Board Is Watching This Closely
The shortage was notable enough to come up during Superintendent Bosone's mid-year performance review. The board rated him "meeting expectations" overall but specifically called out transportation as an area that needs improvement before the end of the year.
If you've been following District 196's 12.8% property tax levy increase or the push to make personal finance mandatory for students, this is another one of those issues where families are asking: where's the money going, and is it working?
What to Watch
The district hasn't laid out a detailed public plan beyond the new contract and website updates. If you're a family that's been affected, the board's next regular meeting is March 9th — and public comment is always an option.
For those keeping tabs on how public money is being spent across the south metro, it's worth noting that Burnsville's Southwest Street Project came in 31% under budget — a reminder that not every spending story is a frustrating one. The question is whether District 196 can find that kind of win on the transportation side.
