Wake parents, expect a chaotic school dismissal with bus drivers out. Here are some tips

The Wake County school system is asking parents to make alternative plans to get their children home from school Friday afternoon due to so many bus drivers calling in sick to protest working conditions.

Parents should expect chaos and delay. Here are some tips that may help.

▪ Wake schools advise tracking bus route status on its homepage, or by using the Here Comes the Bus app.

▪ Many parents have already received notice about arranging alternate transportation. That means carpool lines will be unusually long. Budget extra time.

▪ Arrange for group rides if possible.

▪ Middle and elementary schools will be hit especially hard by delays, while high school students may be able to drive each other or catch a ride with a friend.

In an email Thursday to families, Wake said that there may be more bus drivers absent than normal Friday because of a protest over poor working conditions. On Friday, school officials warned conditions could continue Monday morning.

As of September, Wake had a 17% vacancy rate among school bus drivers with 139 vacant positions.

This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 11:47 AM.