Wake County Public Schools bus routes could have longer wait times for students

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Wake County Public Schools students are back in the classroom and bus drivers for the district will be expected to do more on their daily routes.

The district's hired more bus drivers with higher starting salaries, attracting more drivers than Wake County schools had last year.

They still have to include what's known as double back routes, meaning individual school bus drivers will do more than on route daily. This could add more time to the wait for students at bus stops as well as the workday of those drivers.

This year, the district is also sending direct messages by text or email if a bus is running late. That's in addition to the app where parents can track their child's bus in real-time.