BUFFALO (WBEN) - According to a recent school bus fleet survey, 91% of districts report issues with bus staffing, and there is growing concern of a major transportation problem once school restarts during the fall.
"The student transportation industry was struggling with a driver shortage before the COVID-19 outbreak, and the pandemic has only made that situation more challenging," said Dawn Tighe, recruitment and training center manager for First Student.
The driver shortage has impacted Western New York before, most notably in the Buffalo School District in recent years. Back in 2019, Buffalo parents held a press conference to complain that the shortage of drivers was having a profound impact on their children.
Some parents claimed their kids were not being picked up at all, or being dropped off as much as an hour late and sometimes at the wrong school building.
To combat the loss of drivers to the pandemic, Tighe said the company is embarking on an aggressive recruitment campaign to pull in as many drivers as possible prior to the start of next school year.
"We really cannot predict what the fall is going to look like, but that's why we're talking," she said. "First Student is actively recruiting and hiring school bus drivers...Now that in-person job fairs are coming back, we had one last week and we're going to be at the WNY Get Hired Job Fair on July 14, and we have a lot of great events planned over the summer to actively recruit some school bus drivers."
Those interested in becoming bus drivers can start at $19.55 per hour to go along with a $500 sign-on bonus, and according to Tighe, those figures are for those with no experience driving a school bus. Those with experience can make up to $25.04 an hour with a $3,000 sign-on bonus.
To apply, click here.
