The Greece Central School District is seeking more bus drivers ahead of the new academic year.
School districts across the country have been struggling with a bus driver shortage for years. As of last September there were about 12% fewer school bus drivers on the road than in 2019, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The nonprofit cited low pay as a key factor.
To address the ongoing shortage, the Greece Board of Education last year voted to increase the walking distance to school and to bus stops for students. Sixth through 8th graders are now required to travel up to a mile to their bus stop. High schoolers are required to travel up to a mile and a half.
Dave Richardson , the district’s director of transportation, said at the time that schools are competing for commercial drivers with companies like Amazon that often pay more.
The current hiring push touts a new minimum starting rate of $26 an hour for bus drivers and $19 an hour for substitutes.
Open interviews for bus driver positions are scheduled to take place from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at GCSD Transportation and Support Services Facility,1790 Latta Road.
