ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools bus drivers are spending Friday behind the wheel, running practice routes to prepare for the first day of the 2026–27 school year.
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At Lake Nona High School and across the district, transportation staff are conducting dry runs to familiarize themselves with assigned routes, identify traffic changes, and review safety procedures before students step on board next week.
For veteran drivers like Mario Zapatier, who has been driving for OCPS for 30 years, the focus hasn’t changed.
“Get the kids in a safe way back and forth, going to school and going back home... that’s my priority: the safety of the kids,” Zapatier said.
Senior Director of Transportation Jason Mendoza says these practice runs are essential for adjusting to new road closures, traffic light timing, and neighborhood changes that could impact travel times.
“We’re doing dry runs so the drivers can get acclimated with their routes to better serve our students on the first day of school,” Mendoza said.
OCPS is currently facing a nationwide bus driver shortage. The district says it needs about 100 drivers, but could manage the start of the school year with at least 50 additional hires.
Because of the shortage, some drivers will be assigned “double backs,” meaning they will complete one route and then return to pick up a second group of students. Families should expect possible delays during the first weeks of school as the district adjusts.
To help ease the strain, OCPS is purchasing 15 smaller 14-passenger buses that do not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL). These buses will be used to create supplemental routes for students who may have longer distances to travel or were affected by recent school boundary changes.
Mendoza says the district is also prepared to use trained non-driving staff if needed.
“If we get in a bind, anyone who has a driver’s license can actually jump in one of those busses and help out,” Mendoza said. He noted that all staff would still be required to complete the same 40-hour state-mandated training course as regular bus drivers.
OCPS is asking families to:
- Register for transportation through the district portal
- Place emergency contact information inside student backpacks
- Be patient during the first week as drivers adjust to routes and traffic
- Allow extra travel time due to potential double-back delays
The district is actively recruiting bus drivers and encourages interested applicants to visit [ocps.net](https://www.ocps.net) for job listings, pay information, and training details.
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