Jackson Schools Using Teachers To Cover Bus Routes

The Jackson County School System is in need of bus drivers to get through the school year.

Director of Schools Kristy Brown said the system needs full-time, part-time and substitute bus drivers right now. Brown said they have lost multiple full-time drivers to retirement.

“We do have some regular teachers at schools who have their bus driver licenses,” Brown said. “We have relied on them to pick up some bus routes before and after school to fill in the need for now.”

Brown said that luckily the need for drivers has not affected any routes yet, and operations are able to continue as normal at this time. Brown said COVID has added extra pressure to have a large substitute driver pool.

“There’s always potential, especially with the COVID situation, of quarantines and isolation that has to happen,” Brown said. “So those are more than one or two days of somebody being out sick, as it normally would be. So sometimes if the situation calls for several days of substitute drivers and it’s a longer period of time when something like that happens.”

She said applicants can apply by either calling central office or visiting the district website. Brown said the Jackson County School System will train applicants for free and reimburse medical physical exam costs.