School Bus Driver Shortage Constant Problem Not Just In Georgia

LOGANVILLE, GA — It's not uncommon to see "bus drivers wanted" signs in front of Gwinnett County schools. The largest school system in Georgia is constantly looking for new drivers. It's not just a local issue, either.

A national bus driver shortage is due to the low salary that many drivers receive, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. The Gwinnett Public Schools' transportation budget has been the same for more than 20 years, Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks said. In 1996, the budget was about $5.7 million and still is.

The lack of appeal can also be an obstacle in attracting new school bus drivers. Student behavior can be a challenge. School bus drivers often have to double as disciplinarians while behind the wheel, according to WXIA. It’s not unusual for a driver to intervene in a fight with one eye on the road.

When the economy is doing well, as it is now, professional drivers have options. They tend to gravitate toward jobs that don’t have the challenges of transporting students.

“It’s not just a metro-Atlanta dilemma,” says Carlton Allen, executive director of the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation, according to the TV station. “It’s a nationwide concern.”

Pay is an issue, but even though many districts offer full-time type benefits to bus drivers, it's a part time job, Allen said.

Henry County Schools bus drivers are only guaranteed five hours of work per day. The starting salary is $15.45 hourly or $13,674 annually, according to the Henry Herald.

Metro Atlanta is also an area with plenty of opportunities for professional drivers who don’t want to transport young students.

“The metro Atlanta area is a very competitive market for professional drivers in a variety of positions,” says Robyn Belzer, spokesperson for Dekalb County Schools. “This includes Amazon, UPS, USPS, Uber, Lyft, commercial trucking companies, and more.”

Clayton County school bus drivers are guaranteed six hours of work per day at a starting rate of $16.92 per hour or $18,880.52 annually.

Fulton County also guarantees six hours daily. The starting per-hour rate is $20, or $21,840 annually. DeKalb County drivers are guaranteed six hours a day starting at $16.43 per hour or $17,744.40 per year, according to the Henry Herald.

Gwinnett starts bus drivers at between $14 and $16 an hour, according to glassdoor.com.

The Gwinnett school district struggles to maintain the employees required to operate its approximately 1,900 daily bus routes. The shortage illustrates a long fall from where the industry was at the beginning of the decade when Wilbanks said schools had to turn down bus driving candidates, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

The district is continuing efforts to hire more with the budget available, but is trying to spread out its driver routes.

In its Dec. 19, staffing report, school officials said there were about 115 steady drivers in Gwinnett County. There are about 15 to 17 new drivers ready to start on Jan. 6, when students return, according to the Post.

Buses in Gwinnett serve about 129,000 students in a school system of 178, 124 students in 113 schools.

For more information on working for the Gwinnett County Public Schools online.