Chicago’s bus problems made headlines the first week of school, and district officials promised cash payments for transit assistants and a fast solution. But weeks later, several families told Chalkbeat that bus service is still a daily gamble, and data provided by Chicago Public Schools shows that even more families lack service now than at the start of the year.

Chicago is responsible for transporting about 16,000 students to and from schools every year. Currently, students with disabilities make up more than half of the outstanding transportation requests — about 2,500 out of 4,000 students across the district. Students with disabilities have transportation written into their Individualized Education Programs, and the requirement is backed by federal law.

“Like school districts across the country, the district is experiencing a shortage in drivers. CPS remains committed to providing full transportation services to students,” a Chicago Public Schools spokesperson said in a statement.

CPS is working with vendors to ramp up bus driver hiring and training to resume regularly provided transportation services, according to a CPS official.

When school started at the end of August, 2,100 students were left without a ride on the first day of school and families were offered $1,000 to cover transportation. Last month, Chicago Public School board members said 3,300 students were stranded without bus service, citing the continued bus driver shortage, but said they aimed to prioritize students with special needs. But weeks later, the bus problem hasn’t improved.

Over the last year, Chicago Public Schools also consolidated or canceled 289 bus routes.

District officials said the total number of students without transportation may vary as part of the evolving situation. Officials did not respond to requests to explain why transportation needs had increased since the start of the school year.

Read the full article about school transit by Mauricio Pena and Samantha Smylie at Chalkbeat Chicago.