LAURENS, S.C. — Some Laurens County School District 55 students are getting home later than usual this fall, with afternoon bus routes running anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes behind as the district reworks driver schedules.
Acting Superintendent Rhett Harris said only 53 of the district 64 buses are on the road, so some drivers are covering two routes in tighter areas. An outside company is also studying the routes. About 5,000 students attend District 55 schools, which cover more than half of Laurens County, with long rural runs toward Lake Greenwood and Honea Path.
On Friday, Oct. 30, parents were told buses 1, 5, 12, 41 and 43 would be about 45 minutes late. A week earlier, 16 routes ran that far behind. Harris said the delays are shrinking day by day and he has hired temporary help for the longest routes.
The trouble follows a cost squeeze. District officials said earlier this month that they paid $277,000 in bus driver overtime last year, mostly for hours inside a guaranteed 7.5-hour day, and they ended dual employment for 13 workers. Overtime now is paid only past 40 hours a week, and drivers and bus aides got a 5% hourly raise.
On Oct. 26 the board gave second reading to a policy capping work time at 7.5 hours a day or 37.5 hours a week in most cases.
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