OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — It’s time to head back to school for districts across the country.
The Blue Valley School District’s first day back was Wednesday, and we wanted to check in on how they’re getting there.
In May, the district’s Board of Education cut the pay-rider program for middle and high school students because of a driver shortage.
This means families who live less than 2.5 miles from school cannot pay for their student to ride the bus anymore.
“The Board of Education had to make a difficult policy decision to scale back who was eligible for bussing this year,” said Jason Gillam, the Blue Valley School District’s director of business operations. “That was done out of necessity to level out the number of students we needed to transport with the drivers we were able to attract.”
Gillam said last year, they were anywhere from 12 to 18 drivers down each day.
But he said bus routes look to be covered this year.
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said. “We have all our routes covered, we have subs on the bench, we have a number of new applicants coming in that are in the pipeline — we refer to it as — of different stages of becoming a bus driver and going through the trainings and screenings to do so. We’re seeing those numbers come up.”
He said the district and its bussing company, Durham School Services, have done a good job at hiring and retaining drivers.
“We never stop hiring,” Durham’s General Manager Tim Dennis said. “We have hiring events all the time.”
Gillam said they still need help from the community.
“If I were to look at our group of bus drivers, dedicated folks, a very small percentage are actually coming from within our district, maybe only five or six percent. A majority of them are coming from neighboring communities,” he said.
Carrie Swartz said driving around young students is the most rewarding job.
“They’re always having a good day, so it’s hard not to have a good day when they’re having a good day,” she said.
She’s been driving for ten years.
“My job is to take care of these kids and get them to and from school and home safely. And if that’s not why you’re here, then why are you here?” she said.
Swartz goes above and beyond for her students.
“I don’t leave until I know they’re inside safely,” she said.
She always decorated her bus – all the time.
“You definitely know my bus when you see it coming,” she said.
‘Miss Carrie’ — as her students call her — said driving buses is hard work but worth the reward.
“If you’re not gonna be here for the kids, and be here every day, and not let a headache or a tooth ache or a hang nail stop you from showing up, your reason to be here is for the kids,” she said. “And pay or bonuses or a headache or whatever shouldn’t be your reason to be here or not be here.”
The next major recruiting event for Durham is Oct. 13.
Durham partners with multiple school districts across the Kansas City area.
Here are some things you need to know if you’re interested in signing up to be a driver for Durham School Services:
- Starting rate for a brand-new driver is $22 an hour
- If you bring in 15 years of experience as licensed driver, Durham will pay you for that
- $3,000 sign-on bonuses for licensed drivers
- Up to $1,750 for brand-new drivers
- There’s a program where you can be your own child’s bus driver to school or to their sporting event
- Training for new drivers is paid for
- Getting your training and permit in time can be eligible for bonuses
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