Manatee County parents could see longer bus rides, slightly different pickup times and route changes when school starts, as the district expands service while trying to fill a driver shortage. Officials say every route will be covered, but the opening weeks may involve some transportation juggling.
According to Tampa Bay 28, the district expects to operate about 110 bus routes this year, up from roughly 100 last year, while entering the school year 12 to 13 drivers short. Transportation Director Jamie Warrington said some students already face a 4:43 a.m. pickup, underscoring how stretched the system can become when routes are combined.
Two New Elementary Schools Add To The Pressure
The route expansion comes as Manatee County continues adding schools and students. The School District of Manatee County says Rye Ranch Elementary and Veterans Elementary are both scheduled to open in August 2026, part of a broader growth push across the district.
Until more drivers are hired, some buses will cover combined routes, which could stretch ride times and shift pickup windows. Warrington told Tampa Bay 28 that parents should check the transportation tab in their Focus account frequently, including a day or two before classes begin, when last-minute changes may still be posted.
How Parents Can Track Their Child’s Bus
The district’s Where’s The Bus app allows families to monitor a child’s bus in real time and see when it is approaching the assigned stop. The district says families should track the route number, rather than the physical bus number, because the route number remains the same if a substitute vehicle is used.
The app is also expected to gain a feature that lets parents report when a student will be absent, with that notice sent to a tablet on the bus. That upgrade could become available as early as this fall, according to the district transportation department.
Bus Registration And Hiring Remain Key
Families should also make sure each student is registered for transportation before boarding. In a May announcement, the School District of Manatee County said every student must be individually registered and assigned to a bus for the 2026-2027 school year.
The district is continuing to recruit, listing school bus drivers and attendants among its open positions on its careers page. Until those jobs are filled, parents may want to treat bus information as a moving target rather than assuming last year’s stop, time or route will carry over unchanged.
