Bus Driver Shortage Affecting White County

White County Schools dealing with a shortage of bus drivers.

Maintenance and Transportation Director Randy Alley said they started this year with three fewer drivers than they needed. That makes this year the first they started short of drivers. Alley said they are looking for people with a CDL learner’s permit, who can pass a background check and drug testing before they can start training.

“We have a trainer actually in house that trains you, stays with you until she feels like that you’re ready to take all of the tests and pass them,” Alley said. “So it can be done in a month but most of the time it’ll take, it’s a two-month process.”

Alley said the shortage is putting a strain on the district’s extracurricular activities as students have to wait until all the regular routes are complete before buses can take them anywhere else. Alley said students can often drive themselves or get a ride from their parents but those options come with their own safety risks.

“Bus transportation is the safest mode of transportation out there,” Alley said. “So whenever we’re taking a basketball trip or a football trip in one of those yellow buses, then we’re doing our very best to be the safest we possibly can. If we’re not able to do that, then our safety’s not at the goal that we’re looking for.”

Alley said they have been able to manage the shortage without any major issues for the district’s regular daily routes.

“We’ve had one day that we did not run a route in the years that I’ve been here,” Alley said. “So somehow we come out with a way. My drivers hardly ever take days off because they’re just so dedicated so one way or another we get it done.”

Alley said he believes offering benefits like insurance could attract more people to the bus driver position.

“It is an odd job,” Alley said. “It has to fit people’s schedules. We’re considered actually part-time. Even though we say it’s a full-time driver you’re considered a part-time employee.”

Alley said their drivers has a morning run from 6:00am to 8:00am and an afternoon run from 2:30pm and 4:30pm.

“We are considered a three hour a day job,” Alley said. “But we do not pay by the hour, we pay by the day, by the run.”