PPS Partners with ABC Transit Inc. to Recruit Drivers at 2021 Summer Fest Kids Day
PITTSBURGH PA JUNE 23, 2021 – Committed to finding solutions to the national bus driver shortage hitting close to home, Pittsburgh Public Schools is partnering with local transportation carrier ABC Transit to hold Summerfest Kids Day. The free admission event will be held in Heinz Field Gold Lot 1A, Saturday, June 26, from 1 PM – 5PM, with free parking in Gold Lot 1B. In addition to employment opportunities, Summerfest 2021 will have various free children's activities, a Touch the Truck area, school vehicles, food trucks, vendors, free giveaways, a live radio broadcast, and free COVID vaccinations.
"This is our second Summerfest, and this year we have something for everyone," said ABC Transit Inc. owner and President Aaron Silverman. "We are proud to partner with the many city organizations involved to offer this free admission event. Summerfest will give the students and parents we serve an opportunity to have some free fun, see amazing vehicles, try great local food, patronize our local businesses and provide an opportunity to get vaccinated. ABC Transit Inc. staff will also be there sharing our company's many job opportunities available for the upcoming school year."
Summerfest's free children's events will include a bouncy house, an inflatable slide, obstacle course, crafts, face painting, carnival games, an hour-long spray foam party starting at 4:00 PM, and a special appearance by Pittsburgh Steelers mascot Steely McBeam. In addition, a "Touch the Truck" area will include Pittsburgh Police Department cars, motorcycles, horses, bomb squad robot, along with a Pittsburgh Fire Department's fire truck, tow trucks, dump trucks, ABC Transit Inc. school vehicles, and more.
"We are happy to partner with ABC Transit on this year's Summerfest," said Superintendent Anthony Hamlet, Ed.D. "We hope that as families enjoy the festivities, those in need of employment would consider learning more about opportunities available in pupil transportation with ABC Transit, Inc."
WAMO 107.3 FM's Portia will broadcast live during the event, with giveaways every hour. Turner's Dairy Farm will also be giving away free Turner's Iced Tea from their famous "Tea-Bird" car. Additional giveaways include Eat-n-Park coupons, ABC Transit Inc. promotional items, and more. UPMC will also be onsite to provide free COVID-19 vaccinations.
Food trucks for the day include Annie Lee's, Cindy's Munchies Lemonade, Fudge Farm, Hummus Pittsburgh, Icy Treats, Mike's Dirty Dawgs, MR Taco Bron, Rolling Meatballs, Slurpnburst Boba Tea, and Steel City French Fries. In addition, vendors will include: CiCi's Nails, Divalicious, Mimi's Kinder Connection, Naturally Enchanted, Paparazzi Jewelry, Pink Zebra, Popped Envy, Rocky Lee Handmade, Rosebud Bath Co., Salt-n-Pepper, Spiked Sprinkles, Stitches, Tupperware, Waist Beads and Yinz Lids.
ABC Transit Inc. job opportunities will be available at the ABC Transit Inc. tents, located at both Gold Lot 1A entrances. Open positions include school bus drivers, van drivers, monitors, and mechanics at all locations. Applications will be available for those interested in applying. ABC Transit Inc. has various locations in the Pittsburgh area transporting over 24,000 school students daily.
Summerfest Kids Day is just one of the multiple strategies the District is taking to combat the impact of a national school bus driver shortage. Last week, the District shared additional solutions to address a current 9,116 seat gap. Increases in walk zones, the use of Port Authority, and multi-tiered bus scheduling were among the recommendation shared at the Board's Agenda Review Meeting. As stakeholder engagement continues to address the problem, the proposal reduces the seat gap to 5,956. However, the District remains short of the approximately 300 bus drivers needed to get students to and from school.
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