The pick-up radius for Bowling Green City Schools students may be farther away if more bus drivers are not found.

At the June 21 board of education meeting, Superintendent Francis Scruci said the district may be forced to extend student pick-ups to 2 miles this fall.

Scruci said the district was short seven drivers this past school year, which forced the transportation director, two mechanics, the operations secretary and courier to drive each day, still leaving the district two drivers short.

Transportation Director Toby Snow had to rotate routes each week, so the same families were not impacted, Scruci said.

Despite efforts to recruit, the issue remains, he said.

“This issue is not unique to Bowling Green as every district is facing this problem in Northwest Ohio as well as throughout the state,” Scruci said.

Snow is attempting to get creative with consolidating routes, he said.

“We are not in a position today to make a recommendation, it appears at our July board meeting, Mr. Snow and I will be recommending to the board that we consider moving our pick-up area to 2 miles from our current 1 mile.”

Ohio law has long required districts to offer transportation to all resident students in grades K–8 who live more than 2 miles from their school.

Ohio Revised Code does not require students in grades 9-12 to be bused.

The district for years has picked up students who live within 1 mile of their school.

By doing this, the district would eliminate five routes but remain two drivers short, Scruci said.

“So, we’re still in need of drivers,” he said.

Scruci said it is important that the operations secretary remain at her desk to answer calls from parents with concerns about a student who has not arrived home.

“It is certainly something we would not want to do … but we may be forced to recommend this.”

More drivers will allow them to bring back the 1-mile radius, Scruci said.