RAYTOWN, Mo. — The Raytown School District is hosting a new recruiting series called “Test Drive Tuesday.”
People interested in becoming school drivers can just show up on the day and get a feel for the job.
“What we hear a lot is, ‘That vehicle is just too big, I don’t know if I can do it.’ So we had this idea to get people in and let them give it a try and maybe they’ll find out it’s not so scary,” said Kevin Easley, director of transportation. “When you are finished with the test drive, they drop you off at the front door. You can go in and apply and we’ll conduct the interview right there. We like to make it as easy as possible to anyone that’s interested.”
Easley says he hopes recruiting events like this will help drive home that this job is a viable option for a lot of people. Him and his team are targeting a specific pool of untapped potential.
“There has to be people that we haven’t reached yet, that haven’t tried it, that have always thought about it but been scared," Easley said. "And maybe just given the right opportunity, that we can turn them into a driver for Raytown."
Easley further weighed on on the kind of candidates that would make a good fit.
“You have to be able to pass a physical and drug screening, and there’s lots of requirements by the state for licensing, so you’re looking for a pretty special individual," he said.
The district is hoping to leave the stress of this on-going shortage in the rearview mirror, as school districts across the nation are still aboard the struggle bus.
With eight driver vacancies in the district, the department is still actively working to recruit in unique ways.
“Last year, it started second semester. We had to call in our emergency drivers, so we prepared for the upcoming shortage with teachers and technology personnel, administrators, assistant principals all having their license,” Easley said. “About midway through the semester, even with all those emergency divers, we had more openings than drivers available which led to route cancellations.”
Right now, the district is currently operating around 36 routes with 34 drivers.
If the shortage continues, it will mean more routes get cut. To help, Easley is offering new incentives to recruit including a $350 sign-on bonus for licensed drivers and the district is also waiting for approval on referral bonuses for current employees.
“I feel like, they need me and I need them,” said Marlean Sticklin-Hack, a driver candidate.
Sticklin-Hack decided to come apply for the position on a whim after she saw the call for drivers on the news Tuesday morning.
“God puts you in the right position at the right time,” Sticklin-Hack said.
Her dream job is to open a restaurant in her loved ones’ memory, but it takes money to do that. She hopes the pay from this gig will help her get there.
“I gotta get these curbs under control though,” she said.
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