Calhoun County School District combats bus driver shortage

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Bus drivers are responsible for carrying precious cargo to and from school every day- your children.

However, in several areas across the United States, there has been a shortage of bus drivers.

Not knowing how students will make it to school can leave families and school administrators frustrated.

They’re a familiar sight on your early morning drive – big yellow school buses. A lack of the yellow rigs isn’t the problem, but it’s a lack of people who can get behind the wheel.

Now, school leaders are banding together to make sure students get to school on time.

A “driver’s needed” sign has stood in Calhoun County for several months.

One of the most important things besides learning in school is actually getting there.

“There’s a lot of responsibility with being a bus driver. You’re responsible for getting kids to and from school safely,” said Calhoun County Schools Transportation Director Stacia Parker.

Parker said doing that isn’t always simple.

“I have had phone calls from bus drivers in the early morning that have a sick child, or they’re sick themselves, and me, or one of my mechanics, have to drive the route because we couldn’t find a sub on such late notice,” said Parker.

There are 35 bus routes in the Calhoun County school district, that include Calhoun, Vardaman and Bruce schools.

Every route has an assigned driver but the school system depends on coaches and assistant teachers to run those routes.

“We do have sub drivers in place and it depends on the day, and the time and you know whether or not it’s easy or hard to find someone.”

Bus drivers receive a salary of $20,000 per year – Parker believes that may be a reason for the shortage.

“I think everybody needs a raise in education whether if you’re a bus driver, a janitor, an assistant teacher, principal, or superintendent. These bus drivers have a day-in,day-out job and they have to be at a certain place at a certain time. If it’s rain, hot weather, cold weather, it’s a big task,” said Parker.

In the meantime, Parker is hopeful most of the positions will stay filled for the duration of the school year.

“I did have a couple of openings at the beginning of the school year but we found drivers for those and the drivers and they have been very good about coming to work and doing what they need to do,” said Parker.

For more information about the bus driver position, click here.