PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. — Mechanics at a school district here have been driving school buses this year due to a lack of substitute drivers, sparking concerns about the availability of a mechanic if a breakdown occurs, 10 News reports.

Pittsylvania County Schools’ mechanics and its transportation director, Kenyon Scott, have had to drive 47 bus routes as of Monday, according to the news source. Tommy Gibson, one of the district’s mechanics, told 10 News that although they have not had a bus break down on the road while all mechanics were driving, they have come close.

Scott told the news source that the county’s size makes it difficult to have enough substitute drivers; Pittsylvania County, the largest in the state, is nearly 1,000 square miles, and the district runs over 190 bus routes to cover it, 10 News reports.

The district hired 17 new substitute drivers before the school year started, and seven substitute driver candidates were being trained on Monday, Scott told the news source. He added that he recently brought the issue of a need for more substitute drivers to the school board’s attention.

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