New Town busing situation
New Town busing situation
causing district headaches
By ROBYN ROHDE
BHG NEWS SERVICE
There is a continuous advertisement running from the New Town school district all year. It’s looking for bus drivers to help with the district’s nine routes each school day. So far the district has been able to manage the routes but it hasn’t been without a few headaches.
“We have been fortunate to have a current set of loyal bus drivers that work for us and then we have teachers that are drive bus,” Superintendent Marc Bluestone said.
Last year the district was forced to consolidate 10 bus routes into nine because of the shortage problem. The district’s routes go as far southeast as Mandaree and as far northeast as the Stanley district. The routes also include the Shell Creek area which is about 11 miles southwest of New Town.
The school is also in dire need of a bus mechanic as they have been forced to contract repairs and service out to Minot for half of the school year. With all the oil traffic on the rural roads, it is reeking havoc on buses. Bluestone noted that the usual bus maintenance schedule has needed an overhaul due to more difficult rural road conditions.
