ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Public Schools is gearing up for the first day of class amid a continuing shortage of bus drivers.
District officials told News 6 they are currently short about 100 drivers, roughly the same as last year.
With about 550 drivers on staff, the district is using strategies like “double backs,” where a driver completes two runs for the same school to ensure every student who needs a ride gets one.
Evelyn Bell, a veteran bus driver and trainer for new drivers, shared what she would say to people considering joining her team.
“You definitely have to have patience and heart. It takes a lot of patience and consistency,” Bell said. “We offer the training for you and we can teach you to be a safe driver.”
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The training is paid and includes about two weeks of classroom instruction before new drivers get behind the wheel.
Starting pay is $17.29 per hour. The district is negotiating with the union to offer more incentives, including an $8,000 bonus paid in $2,000 increments quarterly and other motivations to reward perfect attendance, safe driving, and picking up extra routes.
The district is also currently hiring bus mechanics. For more information on the benefits and how to apply, click here.