JCPS plans to lease 70 TARC drivers to help bus driver shortage, save jobs

A new partnership could help solve two bus issues at once, at least in the short term.Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio announced a partnership between the district and TARC on Monday. Pending approval from both JCPS and TARC boards, the district would essentially lease 70 TARC drivers to help bring back some of the routes they recently had to cut due to a driver shortage. "I saw an opportunity, invited leaders from across our city — who historically have not worked together — to the table, and we found a short-term solution to support our TARC drivers, JCPS, families and children across Louisville," Greenberg said.Pollio said the additional drivers would help the school system restore some of the magnet bus routes for the most in-need families and children. TARC says this plan would help them avoid laying off drivers due to ARPA funding ending.“With this agreement, we are able to accomplish our number one goal: to not lose our drivers to layoffs,” TARC Interim Executive Director Ozzy Gibson said. Drivers would be paid by JCPS but remain TARC employees and keep their seniority.Watch the full news conference below.TARC officials say they proposed moving up the timeline for their plan to reduce the frequency of certain routes to make drivers available for the upcoming school year.The TARC Board will vote on the agreement on Friday. JCPS says they will meet later this month.It is not yet known which schools this would affect or how many.Despite that, JCPS says the deadline for parents to declare their child's transportation option for next year is still June 6. It's unclear how JCPS will address this for schools that get included in the new plan.The plan is only set to last a year.