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Navigating the School Bus Driver Shortage
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age. While districts hire retirees, these drivers attendance, driving performance, being accident-
sometimes want to supplement their retirement free, and non-required certifications. This will both
income and health insurance only until they reach improve compensation and encourage higher levels
Medicare eligibility. Additionally, many applicants of performance and engagement.
in this age range are only interested in part-time
hours, such as driving the morning shift but not the Technology integration. Look for opportunities
afternoon. Finally, older workers may face limits to maximize route efficiency. For example, utilize
on how much they can work without affecting their scheduling software that optimizes routes, and
Social Security benefits. All of these factors limit the implement processes allowing students to sign up
availability of a demographic that historically has for the bus versus scheduling all eligible riders.
contributed importantly to the bus driver workforce. This may allow for the combining of current routes,
potentially reducing the required number of drivers
What are the Solutions? and/or freeing up drivers to take on vacant routes.
Addressing the school bus driver shortage requires Similarly, consider expanding walk boundaries,
a multifaceted approach that addresses recruitment, adjusting school attendance boundaries, and
retention, and job satisfaction. Below are five creative reviewing school bell start/end times to identify
solutions to help overcome the shortage. possibilities for reducing the number of drivers
and routes needed to transport students to and from
Recruitment campaigns and incentives. Launch school. Drivers are less likely to be dissatisfied or
targeted recruitment campaigns highlighting the switch districts if they know their daily route won’t
rewarding aspects of being a school bus driver. Remind be impacted by a staff shortage and the pressures of
potential recruits that drivers have the opportunity to filling in for missing drivers.
impact students’ lives and contribute to the safety of
the community on a daily basis. Offer sign-on bonuses Alternative transportation methods. Identify
and incentivize those with existing CDLs by offering alternative transportation methods beyond the
even greater bonus opportunities. Get existing staff traditional school bus. First, note that districts with
involved via recruitment bonuses, incentivizing them vehicles designed for 10 passengers or fewer may
to share their stories and encourage others to apply. use these vehicles to transport students on regular
Be sure to include your Transportation Department, routes beyond student activity purposes. Second,
Human Resources, and your communication team take advantage of a recent change in Arizona law
to create a coordinated, district-level recruiting that allows districts with 11–15 passenger Type A or
approach. B school buses and 11–15 passenger white activity
buses — with modifications — to employ non-CDL
Competitive compensation. Conduct wage studies to drivers to transport students to and from school
ensure that school bus driver salaries are competitive and home in these vehicles. Note that this category
in the local labor market and commensurate of driver — referred to as a “925” driver by DPS
with the responsibilities and demands of the job. — must still adhere to the training requirements
(Compare peer districts and include the CDL private for school bus drivers, which can be found in the
sector.) Consider bonuses for things such as perfect Arizona Minimum Standards for School Buses and
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34 THE EDGE SUMMER 2024
