LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville transit employees could soon alleviate Jefferson County Public Schools' (JCPS) bus driver shortage.
The Transportation Authority of River City (TARC) board members unanimously approved a resolution on Friday to lease 70 employees who will transport students to and from school.
The department is taking the first step in troubleshooting the school district's issue, and said in the meeting that this will benefit students and the community as a whole.
"It's a one year agreement going through May 29, 2025 with a one year option," Ozzy Gibson, the newly-appointed executive director of TARC, said. "The package is not to exceed $8.9 million."
In April, the school district announced the termination of multiple bus routes, and leaving it to parents to get their children to a magnet or traditional school they attend. TARC drivers could restore some routes and will be paid their regular rate through JCPS.
"Does it fix all of JCPS' needs? No. Does it fix all of our needs? No," Gibson said. "But we were able to not lay 70 people off. Buy us time to do what we got to do with route restructuring, find more funding."
Both the Gibson and Lillian Brents, president and business agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1447, said this is a short-term solution.
"However it does maintain people able to have jobs and it also gives the opportunity for so many kids to have transportation to school," Brents said. "And that is what we are about."
"There's going to be a great plan of how we want to grow TARC," Gibson said. "It's going to have a price tag to it at some point. Then we'll be able to show, look if we don't have funding this is what we will be."
The two large transportation systems are set to potentially benefit from each other this upcoming school year. Brents said drivers are answering the call for help.
"In reference to getting kids to and from school," Brents said. "And the other one's will continue answering the call and making sure people get to and from work."
TARC has made the first move in this new partnership, now the rest of the plan is in the hands of the JCPS board.
In a statement, JCPS told WHAS11 the Jefferson County Board of Education is expected to vote on the proposed agreement with TARC at its next meeting on June 25.
"We're excited about the possibility of TARC drivers helping us take a step toward solving a community problem. Getting our students to and from school on time and, potentially, returning transportation to some high needs students who are scheduled to lose bus service in the coming school year," a spokesperson said.
TARC is looking at future routes for next year as they will have to make some adjustments, including cutting some routes, to compensate for low funding.
The department is seeking the community's input so they can plan out the frequency of ridership across the Metro.
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