Some Columbia Public Schools sports teams asking for drivers for athletic events
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Some Columbia Public Schools sports teams are asking for help to get kids to and from athletic events this year.
Battle High School athletics tweeted Wednesday for people to apply as bus drivers for activities and field trips.
Do you have your Commercial Driver's License or are interested in obtaining it? Interested in being paid to transport our athletic programs to away contests? We are seeking drivers for this upcoming school year to transport our teams!
— Battle Athletics (@BattleAthletics) August 10, 2022
Apply Here! https://t.co/bq8SiWmvq1
Hickman then responded to the tweet on Wednesday evening claiming the need for more bus drivers for athletic events.
On Thursday, ABC 17 decided to reach out to Hickman's football coach to see what his team is dealing with. In a text message Thursday afternoon, Hickman's coach did confirm the issue had been resolved.
Now, the district has already spent more than $3,000 for Mo-X, a bus company in Columbia, to take some sports teams to away games.
And just like other bus companies, MO-X says it's also expecting to see more requests for help this fall.
Norm Ruebling, owner of Mo-X, says its shuttle services work closely with local sports teams and when August creeps in and school starts gearing up there is always a surge in demand. The shuttle company already makes 10 round trips a day from Columbia to St. Louis which can get more demanding once school rolls in.
ABC 17 has been reporting on the shortage of bus drivers across the state for the last two years, blamed partly on the coronavirus pandemic, but this issue doesn't seem to affect Mo-X. Ruebling says although its team can always use new employees it has enough staff to cover the busy season.
That means sports teams may not be affected by a lack of transportation shortages and neither will students who are attending school field trips.
ABC 17 also tried reaching out to Student Transportation of America but hasn't gotten a response.
Michelle Baumstark, a spokesperson for CPS, responded to an email this evening saying its department is also working to make sure everything is taken care of for this 2022-2023 school year.
"We’re working in partnership with STA to make sure we have everything covered for the coming school year. We want a great year for all our students, families and employees," Michelle Baumstark said in an email Thursday.
