Buckeye continuing working toward improving transportation

YORK TWP. — Buckeye Schools is looking to hire a few more bus drivers ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Superintendent Jeff Stanton gave a transportation update during the board of education meeting Tuesday. "Arrival and dismissal times, as we thought they would, have drastically improved over the course of the last six to eight weeks," he said. "They're still not where we want them to be. The issue still remains. We need more bus drivers. As we get more bus drivers, things will improve even more." Improvements have occurred because more drivers are working for the district now, including some bus drivers who have come back to Buckeye after being on leave, Stanton said. A large number of parents are also choosing to drive their children to school. "We're running with about 13 (drivers). Our goal is 15 drivers. That's where we want to be," Stanton said. "Actually, we would certainly take 18 to 20 as well, but we have to have 13 to start next school year." Buckeye is working with Midwest Educational Transportation Service to recruit and hire bus drivers. One driver was hired, and another one is going through the hiring process as a result, he said. The district is also contracting bus drivers through GG&C Bus Company Inc. "We have three (GG&C) drivers working with us for the remainder of the year," Stanton said. "We have no intention of currently using them next fall, but they will work with us for the remainder of the year." The district is also working on routes and pickup changes ahead of the upcoming school year, he said. "As I've said many times, when you are changing transportation, you really have to change that at the beginning of the school year," Stanton said. Also during Tuesday's meeting, the board of education approved purchasing 20 transportation fleet safety cameras from Rush Truck Center to use in district buses. A portion of the purchase is being covered by a $45,000 bus safety grant the district received in January from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.