Most students start off their school day by catching the bus. The problem? School buses this year have become more packed than ever.

Usually, some people are able to sit alone for the ride, while a few have to sit next to another person. This year, most seats are being filled by three people.

Transportation director Tom Italiano has aid that the county is going through a shortage of about 100 bus drivers.

Crowded seats create safety concerns. If seats are holding more than two people, then some people are in the bus’ aisle. IF the bus makes a sudden turn or stop, those students are at risk of getting injured.

Besides safety issues, the sky-high amount of people riding one bus also creates discomfort among the student body.

“I feel so uncomfortable and smothered,” sophomore Idil Hilowle said. “A lot of the times we have to sit three to a seat. It feels like I can’t breathe.”

A significant amount of students are so irritated by how filled buses are, that they have sought out other ways to get to school.

“One of my friends doesn’t even bother with the bus anymore,” freshman Ladan Abdi said. “She just has her parents drop her off.”

A large amount of students on buses also create stress for bus drivers. It is difficult yo be aware of what 40+ kids are doing while keeping your eyes on the road.

The noise that this amount of kids make also makes it harder for the bus driver to focus his or her eyes on the road.

Sometimes, drivers are even put in the difficult situation of having to leave students behind due to a lack of enough space for them.

“Once, the bus driver couldn’t stop at one stop, because there wasn’t any space for them to sit,” Hilowle siad.

Changing bus routes is one of he solutions that FCPS has come up with, The office for transportation is also advertising the need for bus drivers heavily.

Getting new bus drivers would not only help crowding, but would also shorten bus routes and decrease the time each route takes.

“Hopefully, the new bus drivers will be hired, and the situation will be fixed soon,” Abdi said.”