Lawmakers approve emergency rule to help ease bus driver shortage

School bus driver shortages have become a chronic problem across New Hampshire.Dover is the latest community affected. Superintendent Christine Boston told parents this week that several routes are being combined to accommodate all students.”Several routes are being temporarily adjusted or combined, which may lead to delays,” Boston said. “Students on combined routes can arrive as much as 10-15 minutes late.”State officials said they are monitoring the situation closely to prevent it from worsening.”We could have students who were on the bus for hours and hours, there could be medical conditions, there could be various things,” said Douglas J. Osterhoudt, director of the Administrative Rules Division.On Thursday, the Department of Safety petitioned lawmakers to ease regulations.Current rules require applicants to hold a valid driver’s license for at least two years, but officials said the requirement has become too high of a barrier.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<“The Division of Motor Vehicles reports an increase in the number of applicants excluded due to this rule,” the Commissioner of Safety said. “These excluded applicants are otherwise qualified, but experienced brief (less than 30 days) lapses in their driver’s license due to non-renewal or short-term suspension.”Officials said these are not habitual offenders or drivers convicted of DWI.”The 30 day suspensions tend to be more technical suspensions: you forgot to renew your license, you didn’t pay a fine,” Osterhoudt said.Lawmakers agreed to an emergency rule allowing those with a previous lapse in their license, or a prior 30-day or less suspension, to drive a school bus to help meet the high demand for drivers.”This is a temporary fix,” said Rep. Mary Hakken-Phillips, D-Hanover. Lawmakers said this change will not put students at risk. “I was concerned and I raised the issue early, that there could be safety reasons for a suspension. And the last thing I wanted to do would be to make it easier to have drivers with safety problems driving our kids our most precious resource in the state and this country,” said Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry.>> Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel <<

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