A school bus driver serves not just as a driver, but also acts as a role model, nurse, mentor, teacher, parent when it’s needed, and a referee in case of arguments.
Vickie Cross, executive director of Transportation for the Fulton Schools System, said those are just some of the roles a bus driver might have to assume.
“It sounds funny, but bus drivers can become loan officers when they find a young child crying because they forgot ice cream money,” Cross said. “The bus drivers reach into their wallets, knowing the money will never be repaid.”
Fulton County Schools has been more successful at recruiting bus drivers for its 689 routes this year, but the nationwide bus driver shortage still affects the school district.
FCS was short 55 drivers at the start of the school year. That causes concern especially when it’s also short 40 “breakdown drivers,” who can drive anywhere at any time, such as if a bus breaks down or a driver is absent.
Some elementary schools were asked to start 10 minutes early to help reconfigure routes, Cross said.
“But compared to last year when we started school and we were close to 150 drivers short, we are in much better shape this year. And so while it is a problem, it’s nothing that’s going to shut our service down,” Cross said.
To help solve the bus driver shortage, FCS turned drivers into recruiters because no one can explain the job better than a bus driver, she said.
The drivers in the Transportation Opportunity Teams were chosen because they are positive, have great attendance, and have great student management skills.
The teams go out and drop flyers at apartment complexes leasing offices, senior centers, and 50+ developments.
“The thing that seems to sell a lot of people is the service you are providing your community and your service to these kids,” she said.
It’s a great job for mothers because they have the same schedule as their kids, she said. They’ll have mornings and early afternoons to run chores and if necessary their child can ride on their bus.
The school district has removed many barriers to getting a job as a driver. Cross said they will hire an applicant after a background check, a motor vehicle record check, a drug and alcohol test, and a physical is completed. FCS pays for these checks and tests.
“A driver applicant never comes out of pocket for any of that because that was a stumbling block that we took away,” she said.
If the new hire doesn’t have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), FCS puts them through a boot camp to prepare for getting a CDL permit.
“We start training you to get your CDL but you’re paid as an employee, from the minute you come in and you start that CDL prep,” Cross said.
Parents and students can download the “Here Comes the Bus” app on both Apple’s App Store and the Android Play Store. By registering a home address and creating geofencing around that address in the app, they can get alerts on when their bus approaches the neighborhood stop.
Visit the FCS Transportation page for information.
