(WXYZ) — School buses play an integral role in the school process, providing an easy and safe way for many students to get to class. But in recent years, districts have struggled to find drivers. Districts are now getting creative in an effort to recruit.
Watch Meghan's report in the video player below
I talked with drivers who said the job is demanding, but also rewarding, as they build relationships with students and families. Now, districts are offering bonuses, training and higher starting wages to keep routes running and ensure students can get to school safely.
“This is a job that you can really be passionate about. This is really something important to be part of somebody's education," said Patrick Norton, a bus driver with Wayne-Westland Community Schools for the past 16 years.
For many students, the school day starts on the bus.
“Bus drivers are the first, you know, adult a kid sees in the day that's not from their immediate family and having a good bus driver, you know, just starts the day off right," said Chad Kundrick, the Director of Transportation for Wayne-Westland Community schools.
But districts across metro Detroit told us that finding drivers to take the wheel has become a yearly challenge. Chad said their district isn't immune to this problem.
"The industry is constantly facing a driver shortage right now," Chad said. "It's no surprise that we're there as well too.”
Districts I spoke to said the shortage isn't new, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, the applicant pool is drying up.
“Well, we seem to be going through a dry spell for a while," Patrick said.
Drivers like Patrick Norton and Linda McEachin said the connections with students make the early mornings worth it.
“I really love being a school bus driver," Patrick said. "I like managing students. I like interactions with students. I like the interaction with staff of the schools."
"Treat them like they're my own like as if they were my own," Linda said.
But schools are aware that passion alone won't fill the empty seats. Districts are now offering incentives.
Carey Russell, transportation director for Novi Community Schools, laid out some of those incentives.
“Benefits are offered, and even if you're working as a bus driver, that is part of the benefit package, you know, you can choose to either have a single insurance, or you can have a family insurance, and that makes a huge difference," Carey said.
I spoke to a few other districts offering other incentives, like Brighton, offering thousands of dollars in signing bonuses. And Wayne-Westland, which is offering complete training at no cost for applicants willing to train.
"Currently we we hire and we train all of our drivers in-house," Chad said.
"You know, the benefit package, the holidays off with my own kids, the summers off with my own kids, it was just the all-around perfect," Linda said.
With bonuses, flexible hours, and paid training, current drivers say it's about more than just transportation.
“It's actually something that you can be passionate about," Patrick said.
Districts told me the incentives are making a difference, but they're hoping for more drivers to keep school buses moving and get kids to school and back home safely.
