Bus driver shortage puts DOTS in a pinch

Overworked university bus drivers say a shortage of student workers is straining DOTS.

The Department of Transportation Services had 300 three-hour shifts each week not covered at the beginning of the semester, forcing other drivers - and maintenance and human resources staff - to take on extra driving.

DOTS Director David Allen said students do not see the effect of the shortage because buses will continue to run on schedule. But bus drivers are feeling the pinch.

"There are drastically low numbers [of bus drivers] in relation to the number of routes," said one full-time bus driver, speaking on condition of anonymity because DOTS does not permit most employees to talk to the media.

The driver said the shortage is "putting drivers in dangerous situations."

DOTS officials said it is Maryland state law to make sure drivers get breaks after three hours. The driver said everyone drives more than three hours in a shift - usually four to four and a half. He added drivers regularly lost 15 to 20 minutes of their lunch breaks because DOTS is constantly trying to fill holes in the driving schedule.

Allen did not directly address these allegations but instead acknowledged once again there was a major driver shortage.

Allen said DOTS prefers not to hire full-time drivers when possible to free up jobs for students. He added that only seven years ago, the Shuttle-UM system was driven exclusively by 150 students. Today, the university employs about 70 students and 60 full-time bus drivers.

Allen said having open shifts provides work opportunities for students looking to start a job mid-semester or for current employees to take on extra work.

"We want there to be student employment and student management opportunities," Allen said.

Allen suggested the increasing academic rigor of the campus has discouraged students from the $10-an-hour job. He said as the economy gets worse, DOTS may try to find more financial incentives for students to join the bus force. Allen said one idea is to pay for drivers' tuition in addition to an hourly wage, but he said the department would continue to discuss several options.

DOTS also said it is having trouble retaining drivers.

"We're always going to have people graduating or on study abroad," DOTS Staffing Manager Michelle Cardoso said. "People don't stay here for more than four years."

She said despite low retention, she hadn't gotten any complaints about abbreviated breaks or drivers' unfairly long hours, though she added student drivers would likely complain to their student managers first if there were any problems.

When bus drivers commit to paid training with DOTS, they sign a two-semester commitment acknowledging they'll have $2,000 charged to their student account if they get fired or quit before the contract expires, Allen said.

DOTS requires students to work 12 hours a week and caps students at 20 hours a week, according to Allen and Cardoso.

However, the anonymous full-time driver said he was working at least 25 hours a week while he was an undergraduate student at the university.

"We try not to put any unnecessary pressure on students' lives," Cardoso said.

But some full-time drivers feeling the strain are advocating a change in the Shuttle-UM system.

"They don't deal with the problem and reduce services because the administration said they were going to increase the routes," said the bus driver.

The driver advocated reducing the routes to lessen the strain on the drivers and the department.

"There are routes that don't get enough ridership to justify their existence," he said. "There is a pressure from upper management to make ends meet without the proper resources."

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