School bus driver shortage: Age limit increase falls short of demand

The government has increased the maximum age for small school bus drivers (up to 8 passengers) from 70 to 72 years, effective September. However, experienced drivers in their mid-70s and older remain excluded from driving larger buses (55+ seats), leaving rural areas vulnerable to service disruptions when drivers fall sick. This patchwork solution fails to address the core recruitment crisis affecting schoolchildren across the region.