Average Starting Transportation Salaries* A
s the industry continues to re- act to one of the worst people shortages in recent memory, School Transportation News
delivered a survey in February and March to 5,827 readers with job titles of transportation director or supervi- sor, with a total of 153 responding, to look under the proverbial hood for a comparison of staff compensation. The result was a snapshot of what salaries look like across multiple positions in transportation departments. How does your organization compare? As for school bus drivers, the survey
indicated that the average starting sal- ary rose by over 19 percent, to over $20 per hour, up from $17 an hour in 2019— the last time STN received enough qualified responses to publish them. Not surprisingly, school bus drivers
also led the way in transportation de- partments by asking for and receiving raises, and according to our readers vir- tually all those requests were successful, as school districts and bus companies increased hiring and retention budgets amid increased competition and record high inflation. Meanwhile, the average driver short-
age at a district or bus company rose to eight employees, up one from seven the last time STN asked this question before the pandemic. Interestingly, readers said the average mechanic or technician pay is slightly over $25 an hour. A survey sent to fleet managers in 2020 showed an average wage of $26 an hour. And most indus- try experts have shared over the past several years that the shortage of main- tenance staff is every bit as bad—if not worse—than school bus drivers. ●
School Bus Driver = $20.28/hour (113) Monitor/Attendant = $14.49/hour (97) Dispatcher = $19.51/hour (92) Router = $17.96/hour (89) Safety Trainer = $21.25/hour (89) Technician/Mechanic = $25.18/hour (97) Transportation Supervisor = $57,974/year (95) Assistant Director of Transportation - $66,282/year (92) Fleet Manager = $75,132/year (88) Transportation Director = $76,010/year (106) Executive Director of Transportation = $92,819/year (86)
Responses varied by position/title, availability, and payment process at each organization. Responses that could not be verified were invalidated. Validated responses in parenthesis.
47%
Percentage of school district respondents that said non-transportation personnel have CDLs to drive routes, when needed.
Out of 151 responses.
Average Number of School Bus Drivers on Staff Out of 150 responses.
48
Average Number of School Bus Drivers Short Out of 150 responses.
8 62
Average Size of School Bus Fleet Out of 150 responses.
24 School Transportation News • APRIL 2023
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