October 23, 2025
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Solving Chicago’s Bus Driver Shortage for Special Needs Students
It is no secret that differently abled students face several challenges to accessing education, from finding learning methods suited to their needs to ensuring safety in the classroom. But what is often overlooked are the hurdles special needs students experience simply getting to and from school. Unlike a typical bus route, special needs students require personalized transportation provided by highly trained drivers and aides who pick them up and drop them off at their front door. But the combination of the nationwide school bus driver shortage – which is being felt acutely here in Chicago and Northern Illinois – and the continued increase in students with special needs has made providing this specialized form of transportation even more challenging.