She advised that instead of leaders saying, “We can’t af-
ford it,” to ask “What problem are you trying to solve? When does this slow you down or create risk? This reframes the conversation from ‘No’ to ‘Let’s solve the issue.’” Allison advised districts trying pilot programs, which
drivers appreciate being included in. “It signals respect and partnership,” she said. “This shifts frustration away from leadership and toward shared decision-making. Set a clear future path, even if it’s one to two years out. Drivers don’t need immediate wins. They need predict- ability. Acknowledge the emotional side and tell them, ‘I understand why you want this. It would make the job easier. Even if we can’t do it today, your feedback abso- lutely helps shape future decisions.’” Mitchell said her drivers expressed interest in tablets
with the turn-by-turn directions, especially her lead drivers that are substituting on routes. “To me that is the most challenging job, when you only have paper route sheets to follow. They feel this would make their jobs less stressful and safer,” she said. Aside from technology, drivers request air condition- ing buses, which the district is working toward a full implementation of. From a leadership perspective, Mitchell said it’s
important to balance transparency, prioritization and creativity, when drivers ask for tech that may not be in the budget right now. “Communication and honesty go a long way with drivers and builds their trust in you,” she said. “Prioritize the high- est impact needs, focus on solutions that improve safety, and reduce daily stress first. Then, look for creative options like grants, partnerships, pilot programs or reallocating funds to begin introducing technology in small steps. “At the end of the day budget limitations may delay
full implementation, but strong leadership means being transparent, prioritizing what matters most, and con- tinuing to advocate for solutions that will support the drivers,” she continued. “Even small steps toward better technology can make a meaningful difference in safety, retention and overall job satisfaction.” Shaw said his drivers are showing interest in student
ridership-based solutions, such as CalAmp K12’s Rider- ship module along with digital seating charts that can be easily maintained by the bus driver directly on the tablet. “Drivers want tools that help answer in real time who is
on the bus, what seat they need to be in, where they get on, and where they are supposed to get off the bus,” he said, adding that when paired with the parent app, Here comes the Bus, the school bus attendance data will pro- vide administrations and families with certainty. “From a driver’s perspective, this technology adds an
important layer of support by alerting them if a student is attempting to get off at the wrong stop and clearly identifying the correct stop for that student,” he said.
The School Bus Driver Perspective
School bus drivers say retention starts with respect, which is more than a thank you during appreciation weeks. In comments from a Facebook drivers group, the most wanted items to make their jobs more efficient were better pay, real school support on student discipline, more bus aides or monitors, and stronger parent accountability. Many shared that the job has become harder because drivers are expected to safely operate a bus while also managing dozens of students with little backup. Others pointed to practical fixes, such as better route planning, parent communication when students will not ride and buses designed with driver input. In conclusion, the theme of the comments was keeping drivers requires treating them as skilled professionals and giving them the tools, authority and support to succeed. A school bus driver on the East Coast, who wished to re- main anonymous, shared with School Transportation News that retention depends not only on better pay but also on whether districts and contractors give them the tools and authority to do their jobs effectively. The driver explained that while the district he works for has tablets, GPS systems and cameras installed on the school buses, the technology is not always used in ways that meaningfully support drivers. Discipline reports and vehicle inspections are still completed on paper. This, the driver said, creates delays, results in lost documentation and ultimately pro- vides little confidence that problems will be addressed. The driver said that the lack of follow-through is es- pecially damaging when it comes to student behavior. Despite the cameras systems, he said drivers are often unable to review or use the footage themselves to support discipline write-ups or respond to parent disputes. The driver argued that allowing drivers to review relevant clips themselves would help schools verify incidents more quickly, give parents clearer evidence and make drivers feel backed up. The driver added that bus tablets often rely on GPS di-
rections better suited for passenger vehicles, sending large buses down impractical roads or via inefficient routes. They suggested that routes should be built with more input from experienced drivers and that GPS data should be used to support drivers when they arrive at stops within the approved time window, rather than sending them back for students who were not ready. Drivers said they want to feel trusted, supported and equipped. The issue is not simply installing technology on the bus but instead using the technology to its full poten- tial to reduce paperwork, strengthen discipline processes, improve routing and protect drivers from unfair blame.
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