MILTON — More school bus drivers are needed in the Santa Rosa County School District, according to officials.
During a Nov. 17 school board meeting, Director of Transportation James Bagby provided a quarterly report from Durham Student Services, which contracts with the district. Bagby said a school bus driver shortage is occurring here and nationwide.
For Santa Rosa County, officials need backup bus drivers.
“We call it the bench,” said Jud Crane, the school district’s director of purchasing and contract administration purchasing. “Like everyone else, school bus drivers get sick, need vacation, or need leave for various reasons.”
Crane said Durham is attempting to boost the bench to ensure plenty of backup school bus drivers are available.
Bagby said the transportation service recently had 203 school bus drivers covering 196 routes, operating at 104 percent. While seven spare drivers are on standby, Bagby said more are needed.
Durham can seek additional drivers from out-of-state. Currently, three out-of-state drivers are contributing in the county's south end.
“We are under 100 percent in Navarre,” he said. “That is where our main focus has been to recruit.”
To help, Durham wants to offer incentives. In addition to paying $1,000 referral bonuses, Bagby said bus drivers are seeing across-the-board raises of $1 more dollar per hour in starting pay. Durham also offers medical, dental, vision and 401K benefits to drivers.
Durham is expected to hire nine additional drivers in the near future. Crane said most of the bus drivers would work an eight-hour shift.
“We have a three-tier bus route system, meaning a lot of our drivers will transport students to an elementary, middle and high school,” Crane said. “Plus, there are field trips to consider.”
In a statement from Durham School Services, all school bus drivers are subjected to multiple pre-employment screenings including a drug test along with background and motor vehicle background checks. Applicants must be 21 years of age with five years of driving experience.
Durham provides classroom and behind-the-wheel training, along with mandatory monthly safety meetings and refresher courses. School bus drivers must attain a CDL license and meet Florida Department of Transportation requirements as well.
Crane said the school district is responsible for transporting more than 17,000 students a day, which is more than half of the school district’s student population.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Santa Rosa County needs more school bus drivers