But getting kids to school safely and efficiently has to be at the top of our list. And I know they have so many competing priorities. It has to be done district by district and state by state.Īnd so that means that school boards and superintendents need to make school transportation a priority. And, by the way, even though this is a national issue, there really isn't a national answer to this issue. The best people to recruit bus drivers are our directors of transportation, our trainers, routers, mechanics and our bus drivers.Īnd so I see the most successful districts using a variety of tools, and using those folks to do it. Well, they do what's called stay interviews, where they interview their drivers and find out what makes you want to be a bus driver, and they're able to be there. In terms of the training and that, I see them - there's a school district in Texas. I know, in Virginia, one school district went and got extra funding to make sure that they could offer their drivers a better pay. They have done work to make sure that they are competitive in their salary and fringe benefit. So the most successful districts do recruit, train, and retain all year long, looking at ways to make sure they're successful. But this is a - it is a year-round issue. And it's not necessarily competitive today.Īnd right now, because of issues that have popped up in the news, we're all focused on it. And, also, the pay for drivers, in many instances, it is not - does not support a lifestyle that they might need. And while, during the pandemic, they - many school districts use their transportation people to deliver free and reduced lunch, curriculum, even mobile hot spots, but an awful lot of drivers did not get hours during the pandemic.Īnd so they would be looking at other areas. About one-third said they are receiving federal funds to help with pandemic. During the pandemic, there was a great number of retirements, as well as - you know, best drivers or hourly employees. Almost half of respondents described their shortage as severe or desperate. I think it's been going on for at least 10 years before the pandemic. Molly McGee-Hewitt, CEO and Executive Director, National Association for Pupil Transportation: Well, I do think it's acute this year. There was a bus driver shortage last year, and the situation this year is the same, if not worse. She's the CEO and executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.
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