Scotts Hill High seeks substitute bus drivers amid regional shortage

Scotts Hill High School is asking for substitute bus drivers as the rural school’s cross-county service area in Decatur and Henderson counties faces the same transportation strain that has hit districts across West Tennessee. For families in the Scotts Hill area of Decatur County, the shortage is not an abstract staffing problem. It is the difference between a bus showing up on time and parents having to improvise a ride across a county line.

The need comes as nearby districts continue to report open driving slots and stretched transportation crews. Washington County Schools said nine bus routes were uncovered, leaving about 200 of the district’s 8,200 students without bus transportation. District officials there said they needed about five or six more drivers to ease the pressure on current staff members and mechanics who have been taking on extra routes.

Greene County Schools reported a better position in 2024, saying it still had a few openings for drivers but expected to have all 75 routes covered for the school year. Even so, the vacancy at Scotts Hill High shows the shortage has not eased evenly across the region. In a school system that reaches across Decatur and Henderson counties, even one missing substitute can ripple through morning pickups, afternoon drop-offs and after-school schedules for families in a Tennessee River community where many students live far from campus.

The push to fill the position also comes as state lawmakers have tried to ease hiring barriers. The Tennessee General Assembly considered House Bill 0084 and Senate Bill 1042, proposals that would have lowered the minimum age for school bus drivers to 21. The bills reflected a broader problem districts have reported for years: finding enough qualified people to keep buses on the road.

Decatur County’s official website describes Scotts Hill as a community on the Tennessee River and lists schools among county departments, a reminder that transportation staffing affects daily life in one of the county’s rural pockets as much as it does in the larger towns. Anyone interested in the Scotts Hill High opening can contact the Henderson County Board of Education for details.