News


A driver job fair at Humble ISD in Texas keeps the transportation department fully staffed despite paying the area’s lowest wages.


Since October, the district has had a con- sistent pipeline of 40 to 55 candidates who work as onboard monitors during the paid training period. Te district went from 265 certified bus drivers to 290 to cover 251 routes for 18,000 students eligible to ride.


SWEET PAYMENT PACKAGES & SUPPORT


Small and Smart


Strategies for Attracting, Retaining Valued Drivers


WRITTEN BY JULIE METEA F


eeling the pinch of an epic school bus driver shortage? Te evidence takes form in cancelled routes, bus delays, service disruptions and angst among all those depending on rides. Consider what three federal agencies recent- ly concluded in an alarming joint report, entitled, 'Strengthening Skills: Training and Career Pathways Across the Transportation Industry.' More than 330,000 school bus driver openings are forecasted over the next seven years. Tat’s well above the need for mass transit, taxis and limousines. Why is this? High expectations with lit-


tle return. Drivers face increasing obstacles for training and background checks from police and child welfare groups as well as low compensation and low hour split shifts. “Drivers are required to manage the


equivalent of two classrooms in the morning and afternoon, while also trying to keep an eye on all the other drivers and pedestrians. Tis is a pretty substantial burden for something like $13 to $25 per hour,” said Tim Ammon, owner of School Bus Consultants, LLC. However, transportation leaders have some winning strategies to fill the driver seats.


NON-STOP RECRUITMENT Dancing air puppets, strobe lights and


16 School Transportation News • JUNE 2016


big arrow signs point to the Driver Job Fair every Tursday at the Humble Interme- diate School District outside of Houston. Tis is the entry point of an aggressive driv- er academy that’s keeping the stable full. “We are the lowest paying district around,


but we don’t have a shortage,” said Assistant Transportation Director Mark Swackhamer, who helped launch the program after brutal days when drivers called in sick. On a bi-weekly basis, transportation


supervisors work with a fresh group of driver applicants who are attracted by paid classroom and behind-the-wheel train- ing. Successful candidates earn a route, a raise and a senior staff mentor who gives day-to-day guidance. Now the district-run transportation department has filled all 172 driver positions for its 145 routes. Meanwhile, the Tucson Unified School


District in Arizona enjoys a driver surplus due to super networking. Seven bus drivers are paid to visit community groups weekly and encourage people to apply for positions. Tey raise awareness everywhere from the local unemployment office to the nearby Davis Monthan Air Base. “We were surprised how it really pays


off. We constantly network, and do a good job of selling the job,” said Paul Larson, transportation director for TUSD.


Te Carmel Clay School District in In- diana approved a $1,500 signing bonus to candidates who successfully drive a route for three months and pass an evaluation. Not far away, the Oswego School District in Illinois performs on-the-spot interviews at local job fairs and offers successful can- didates signing bonuses of up to $1,000. Adams 12 Five Star Schools outside of


Denver has fierce hiring competition amid the area’s low unemployment and new state minimum wage of $8.31 per hour. Te dis- trict-run department augments its driving staff for 158 buses by targeting ideal can- didates—seniors, singles and parents who want to be on their children’s schedule. “Tey are very conscientious, and they


love the kids,” said Mark Hinson, chief human resource officer for Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Recruiters put help wanted signs on the buses and show up on the candidates’ turf— social media, job fairs, county economic development office and grocery stores. Te offer is up to $19 per hour and attractive benefits for part-time work. It offers com- prehensive benefits for 20 or more hours a week, well below what the Affordable Healthcare Act mandates. Te Washington County School District


in Utah offers a Champion Program to re- tain existing drivers while recruiting others. Greg Bozarth, assistant principal at Lava Ridge Intermediate School, is a motivator for the driving team. He brings members to- gether for summer luncheons to talk about best practices and recognize drivers with gift cards and appreciation certificates. On the bus, safety patrols and student council leaders support drivers by thwarting stressful student behavior issues. Seventy-two youth zone leaders are trained to monitor behavior and enforce a seating chart. “While the salary is low, drivers find val- ue in good support and acknowledgement,” Bozarth said. l


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