A shortage of available and properly licensed school bus drivers continues to hamstring the state Department of Education (DOE), prompting Gov. Josh Green to extend an emergency proclamation allowing the use of tour buses to transport students.

Hundreds of students statewide are still affected by the bus driver shortage, which left 3,720 students along 108 routes hanging in early August, just days before school began. By the end of last month, DOE reported that service had been restored to 88% of affected students. That leaves 38 routes, serving approximately 450 students, still without an available driver.