‘Mad or nah?’: Philly residents react to diminished services caused by labor shortages

Help wanted! Philadelphia needs workers in seemingly every area. But the jobs that need to be filled most urgently are in the public sector.

911 calls go unanswered, as dispatchers are in short supply. Trash remains on the street days after its scheduled pickup, as there aren’t enough sanitation workers. And now, the School District of Philadelphia is offering families $300 a month to opt-out of transportation services, due to a shortage of bus drivers.

P.O.C., a partner in WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange, hit the streets of Philadelphia to see how residents are coping with diminished government services.