Northville buses stuck in park after COVID-19 impacts district transportation

The coronavirus impacted Northville Public Schools district bus service Monday.

The district informed parents Monday that a COVID-19 positive case within the transportation operations office of Durham Transportation required the quarantine of non-driving staff.

In a letter, school leaders told FOX 2 and their school community that a positive COVID-19 case brought the busses to a halt. Initially, a plan was established by the transportation company and the school to keep the busses moving.

But when additional drivers started calling off from work, that loss of drivers coupled with staff members from the bus company who were placed in quarantine, resulted in a shortage that compromised the safe transport of all students riding the bus.

"I kind of had a feeling this was coming," said parent Nicole Andreolli. "That’s why we’ve chosen virtual because I knew eventually they were all going to have to go virtual anyways."

FOX 2 reached out to the transportation company but the wait for a response continues.

On Monday FOX 2 cameras did see a few drivers walking to their busses with large spray bottles. According to school officials, the drivers who pulled out of the lot will be for students who require door-to-door special education transportation.

The district says it is working with the transportation company to get these busses back in motion.

FOX 2 reached out to school officials to learn if service will be back in motion starting Tuesday, but they say they are still working to make that call.

Andreolli said she has confidence that school officials will make the right decision and she looks forward to when a vaccine will be available so this can back to normal. 

"They just have to get it under control, get a vaccine, and we will be back to normal soon," she said.