W


ith ongoing challenges in school bus driver recruitment and retention, the task of get- ting new applicants trained,


CDL-certified and road-ready is increasingly problematic. “We’re navigating a very different envi-


ronment than we were even 10 years ago,” said Martha Zamora, transportation director at Arizona’s Tucson Unified School District. “Today’s school bus drivers are expected to be safety professionals, customer service repre- sentatives, student behavior managers and compliance experts, all at the same time. Every decision made behind the wheel can be scru- tinized through cameras, social media, parent feedback and regulatory oversight.” All this involves something of a balancing act, noted Thomas Vowell, director of trans- portation at Harris County School District in Hamilton, Georgia. “Every decision a driver makes can impact


student safety, district reputation and communi- ty trust,” he said. “At the same time, nationwide, districts face significant driver shortages and retention challenges. This creates a delicate balance between maintaining high standards and ensuring we have enough qualified drivers to provide reliable and quality service.” Indeed, considering the many demands on


drivers, effective training is essential, noted Diane Wilson, safety and training special- ist for Region 6 Education Service Center in Huntsville, Texas. “We must prepare drivers not only to operate a bus safely, but also to make sound decisions, communicate effec- tively and respond confidently in challenging situations.” Strong training not also develops competent


drivers but also supports retention, Wilson said. “When drivers feel prepared, supported and valued, they’re more confident in their role and more likely to remain in the profession.”


More Than the Basics While the advantages of robust training may


be obvious, making it happen requires a dedi- cated approach. “One of the biggest challenges today is


simply finding the time and resources to train people well while still keeping buses on the road,” said Anthony Shields, director of trans- portation at Pearland Independent School District in Pearland, Texas. “Driver shortages often mean training staff are pulled into route coverage, which can reduce the amount of time available for quality instruction.” On top of that, many school districts are facing budget constraints that have cut trainer positions, combined them with other job functions, or eliminated them altogeth- er. When that happens, it can be difficult to provide the level of support new school bus drivers need. Pearland ISD maintains a dedicated train- ing team that focuses on driver instruction, student management and specialized trans- portation. “That allows us to provide a much more


comprehensive training experience than sim- ply teaching someone how to pass the CDL exam,” Shields said. The school district is a state-certified,


third-party testing site through the Texas De- partment of Public Safety, with applicants able to complete both their written and behind- the-wheel testing internally. “Keeping the entire process in-house creates a smoother experience for new employees and helps improve retention because they have consistent support from the day they’re hired through certification,” Shields explained. Among other advantages, this removes


many of the scheduling delays applicants too often experience. “The goal isn’t to rush drivers through the process,” he added. “It’s to remove unneces-


ESC Region 6 in Texas has had a positive experience using simulation-based training, which includes a 42- foot enclosed mobile classroom equipped with a driving simulator that travels directly to school districts.


www.stnonline.com 41


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