School bus driver shortage install#
School bus driver shortage drivers#

The hope was that it could remove a barrier to those who otherwise might be interested in helping get kids safely to and from school, said Dan Redford, with First Student in Helena, Montana. “It’s really at a breaking point,” McFarland said.įirst Student, a company that contracts bus service for school districts around the county, held test driving events they called “Big Bus, No Big Deal” in Montana and many other states this summer to give people an opportunity to try their hand at driving.

Her company conducted a survey in March that found nearly 80% of districts that responded were having trouble finding enough bus drivers. We strive to provide our customers with the latest technology available for their new or pre-owned school buses.The driver shortfall isn’t new, but a labor shortage across many sectors and the pandemic’s lingering effects have made it worse, since about half the workforce was over 65 and more vulnerable to the virus, said Joanna McFarland, co-founder and CEO of school ride-service company HopSkipDrive, which tracks school bus issues.

School bus driver shortage install#

If you’re ready to upgrade your current fleet, make sure you’re visiting American Bus Sales to install the latest technology in your school buses.

Whether you add a stop-arm camera to help improve safety or a GPS navigation to help them manage their routes, your bus driver will appreciate the upgrades! Updating your bus with the latest technology will make your driver feel safer, more efficient, and have a more enjoyable experience on the job.

School bus driver shortage drivers#

Overall, having administrative support will help make your drivers feel appreciated and heard. They’ll love being able to have authority.Īlso, don’t forget to provide administrative support for your driver if they have a difficult group of children or they need help assisting concerned parents. Encourage your drivers to create their own rules and standards for their bus. Your driver also needs to feel supported while on the job. Besides offering continuing education classes and training, try offering additional classes to help with stress management or wellness programs to help drivers cope with the job’s stress! Support Your Drivers It also shows your employees that you’re committed to them, and you believe in their potential. Investing in your employees is a great way to establish a long-term relationship with them.

Offer Continuing Education for Your Drivers Besides familiarizing yourself with the reasons why bus drivers leave their job, here are some simple things that you can do for your current drivers to help increase their job satisfaction. Now that you have more information on why drivers have left their jobs in the past, it’s important to take this information and apply it to your company to help keep the drivers that you currently have. What Can You Do to Keep Your Current Drivers? Drivers who are at higher risk of getting the virus have taken this opportunity to retire because it’s not worth the potential health risk to continue driving. To no surprise, the current pandemic has not helped the pre-existing shortage of school bus drivers. COVID-19 Has Impacted the Amount of School Bus Drivers Investing in your employees will increase your chances of having them stay with the company for a longer period. When a company is looking to hire more school bus drivers, they may find it beneficial to hire those with little to no experience and pay them to train for the job. If you don’t have this experience, it becomes very difficult for you to find a job in this industry. Many school bus companies will only hire drivers who already have their CDL and have driven for at least two years. Most times, these short days aren’t enough work for drivers, and even if they wanted to find a part-time job to kill time in between their drives, it’s practically impossible. They’ll usually block off about 2-3 hours of driving in the morning and about 2-3 hours in the afternoon. School Bus Drivers Want More HoursĪ school bus driver will work inconsistent hours. Typically, the average bus driver will make about $16 an hour. Many bus drivers seek other employment opportunities because their pay isn’t as high as expected. Although you may enjoy your position, and it may be a rewarding career, sometimes you need a job that will keep you on track financially. Nearly 25% of people have admitted to leaving their current job for a higher-paying job.