Parent complaints prompt Wake County to hire more bus drivers

The Wake County (N.C.) School District is planning to hire 104 additional bus drivers for the 2013-14 school year to ensure enough buses are on the road and driven by regular drivers, not fill-ins. The Raleigh News & Observer says the district is trying to avoid a repeat of last fall when parents of thousands of students complained about buses being late or not coming at all. The district has 848 permanent bus drivers, forcing the district to scramble to operate the 920 buses that are on the road each day. Adding 104 drivers should enable the transportation department to cover for driver absences.