The Plainview School District, and many districts in Nassau County, is facing a major transportation problem that is out of their hands - a shortage of bus drivers. This shortage is posing a major challenge to the transportation departments throughout the county.

The problem began near the end of last year and is just continuing. The Laidlaw Transportation Company, which services Plainview as well as most other school districts in Nassau with their buses, has been making a great effort to fill the vacant routes. Advertising has been placed in local publications and the company has been offering incentives to new drivers.

"I am trying to hire whoever I can that is qualified," said Jerry Fenton from the Laidlaw Company, which is located in Hicksville. "I am offering a $2,000 sign-on bonus for anyone who is experienced and a $600 sign-on bonus for those with no experience and then I train them to help them get their license."

According to Fenton, Laidlaw provides six buses to the Plainview District and there is no shortage at the present time.

When there is a bus without a permanent driver, Laidlaw tries to keep the same fill-in driver on the same route each day to ease the inconsistency problem.

This is not just a Laidlaw problem, but a nationwide problem. "The drivers pool is just not there," Fenton said.