The Belfast area school district has pulled six buses out of circulation “because of inspection sticker violations,” the superintendent said.
Regional School Unit 71 Superintendent Mary Alice McLean said in a Thursday statement posted on the district website that two after-school activities had to be canceled as a result and that bus routes had to be consolidated.
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“As superintendent of schools I am conducting a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the busses’ removal from circulation and the inspection sticker irregularity, as well putting forth a plan for structural changes in the areas of transportation and maintenance in our school district,” said McLean. “The safety of our all of students is my highest priority as well as the the timely and reliable transportation of students to and from school and school activities.”
The news comes about two months after school was canceled at RSU 71’s Kermit S. Nickerson Elementary School in Swanville because of a shortage of bus drivers.
[Bus driver shortage causes Maine school to cancel classes]
Portland NBC television affiliate WCSH 6 reported that the six RSU 71 buses were taken out of circulation after a surprise inspection by the Maine State Police found the vehicles “unsafe to drive,” just a week after local parents told the TV station the buses were given inspection stickers.
At least one of the buses must be removed from service permanently, local bus drivers reportedly told WCSH.
