Just three weeks away from the start of school in Broward County, the school district is in dire need of bus drivers.<\/p>\n
Broward County Public Schools is hoping to hire 100 drivers in the next couple of months, joining the ranks of Ralda Forrester, a six-year veteran school bus driver.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really good; you get good benefits,\u201d Forrester said.<\/p>\n
They need a lot more people willing to take the wheel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always need bus drivers for the start of every school year, and right now we\u2019re about a hundred short,\u201d said Dr. Simone Clowers, transportation director for the district. \u201cIt\u2019s concerning that we are this short.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s fueling the shortage this year? School district officials say it\u2019s partly an immigration issue and a TPS issue. Broward County Public Schools lost 30 bus drivers recently because the state will not reissue driver\u2019s licenses to district employees who are losing their Temporary Protective Status. So the recruitment effort is in overdrive.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe provide you with all the skills you need to become a driver; we just need you to come apply,\u201d Clowers said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for those that are calm, patient, respectful, alert, punctual, and really want to be here, like understand that your role is huge and significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The goal is to have one bus driver for every route, so relief drivers don\u2019t have to be called in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest advantage is timeliness to school and the time kids have to wait at the stop; if we don\u2019t have a bus driver on every route, that means sometimes we have to double back and get the kids,\u201d Clowers explained.<\/p>\n
The job pays $21 per hour, and also pays dividends in other ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes the kids, you know some of them get to really love their drivers, one of the drivers this morning showed me the gift card he got with the money that parents gave and tell him that oh, we love how you take my son to school and take care of him, my son loves you, so it has a lot of benefits to it,\u201d Forrester said.<\/p>\n
Drivers also have enough time during the day to work a second job, which many of them do. Also, in the process, new hires obtain a commercial driver\u2019s license, which opens the door to other opportunities.<\/p>\n