Delaware School Offering $700 Cash to Parents Who Drive Kids to School Amid Nationwide Bus Driver Shortage

There’s a nationwide shortage of school bus drivers, and many schools are looking for viable alternatives to get students the transportation they need. 

The Eastside Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware, has only one-third the usual number of school bus drivers, so they are offering parents cash — up to $700 per kid for the year — to drive students to school.

Mom of four Shoneika Moore is one of the parents taking up the offer.

When she arrives to drop off her kids, a traffic jam ensues, thanks to all the other parents dropping off their kids at the same time.

“We have an avalanche of cars that are now coming, because parents rose to the children,” Principal Aaron Bass told Inside Edition.

Bass says half of the school's 483 students are now being driven to school. Moore says the $700 incentive definitely helps with gas costs.

“Sometimes we have no buses at all, so we don’t know how we could be able to get children to school,” Bass said. 

With so many kids getting COVID-19, mom Alexis Moore is more than willing to drive her two daughters to school.

“I was nervous about putting them on the bus, because buses are so tight as it is. And with the bus driver shortage, it makes me feel better about sending them back to school after them being virtual for the entire year,” Alexis said.

Bass says peace of mind and the cash incentive are encouraging parents to step up and get through the crisis.

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