Chicago Public Schools is participating this week in National School Bus Safety Week to promote safety among students, parents, motorists, bus aides, bus monitors, and school bus drivers.

The annual designation is observed during the third week of October.

“I have great respect for our school bus drivers, bus aides, and monitors who work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable students on their daily journeys to school,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “Our transportation team is dedicated to addressing each student’s unique needs, and we remain committed to serving as many students as possible.”

CPS leaders noted that students should always remember to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop, for the door to open, and for the driver to signal that it’s safe to board. Students are reminded to use the handrails to avoid falling, to fasten their seat belts, remain in their seats and keep their head and arms inside the window at all times. Students are also asked to keep the aisle clear of objects and wait until the bus has stopped completely before leaving their seat.

Transportation officials also ask motorists to be patient as school buses travel slowly and make frequent stops. When motorists see a school bus with its yellow lights flashing, they are asked to slow down and never pass a school bus with the stop sign arm extended. Motorists must stop at least 20 feet away to allow children to cross the road. If a school bus is stopped on a two-lane road, all lanes on the bus’s side must stop.

Some CPS bus facts are:

• Bus routes — 1,154
• Bus drivers — 852
• Bus aides — 622
• Students routed — 11,928

CPS vendors are transporting almost 12,000 priority students, 3,800 more students than at this time last year. However, district leaders acknowledge individuals who are still awaiting transportation services. The district has worked with CPS vendors to hire more bus drivers for CPS routes, resulting in a 23 percent increase in the number of drivers from the 2023-24 school year.

However, while more drivers have been hired, the district is also seeing a 21 percent increase since last school year in the number of students with disabilities eligible for transportation.

CPS is among the many school districts across the country facing a shortage of school bus drivers. Despite the challenge, the district is transporting most eligible CPS students. District officials said they are dedicated to resolving the issue and have implemented various strategies to address it.

In accordance with the policies of the Illinois State Board of Education and the district, CPS officials said they have prioritized school bus transportation for the most vulnerable students, including those with disabilities or those in temporary living situations.

At the start of the school year, CPS adjusted bell times at certain schools to accommodate additional bus routes, resulting in more student riders.

Later this school year, the district will gradually implement a pilot program aimed at increasing the number of CPS students with access to bus transportation through the introduction of a “hub stop” model.

The model designates specific schools as hubs where students can access bus transportation to their assigned school. Once implemented, students will be picked up at the hubs in the morning and dropped off at the same hub location in the afternoon.

Over the past couple of years, the district has approved increased driver wages and advocated for  state testing and certification requirements. CPS is collaborating with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to develop materials in both English and Spanish about job opportunities for prospective drivers.

Additionally, the district is working with Giannoulias to extend waivers to streamline the hiring process.

“The district’s transportation team explores all possible options in an effort to improve the services that students depend on to get to school,” said CPS COO Charles Mayfield. “Whether it’s applying for grants or finding new and innovative ways to collaborate with district vendors, we continue to prioritize and work to meet the needs of our students.”

For information regarding CPS transportation services, visit the district’s website,  https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/transportation-services/.