Want to become a North Carolina school bus driver? Here’s what you need to know.
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When the bus doesn’t come
The driver shortage is causing students to miss school, teachers to stay late watching students and bus drivers to feel burned out from the additional routes they’re running. And the situation could get worse as more retire or switch to jobs with better hours and higher pay. This special report explores the critical impact on communities in the North Carolina Triangle and beyond.
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The need is great but relatively few people are taking the steps to become a North Carolina school bus driver.
The current school year started with more than 1,300 bus driver vacancies across the state. Some districts are dealing with vacancy rates of more than 30% which are causing them not to have enough drivers each day.
“We couldn’t do it without our drivers and our monitors,” Durham school board member Natalie Beyer said at a board meeting this month. “I need our community to hear that solid request that we need more.”
Under state law, bus drivers must be at least 18 years old and have at least six months of driving experience. Drivers must also have a school bus driver’s certificate and hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with both “S” (school bus) and “P” (passenger) endorsements.
Go to https://bit.ly/3kxj0Zu to find out more about the requirements for becoming a school bus driver.
Some districts will pay the training fees and/or salaries for drivers while they’re receiving the mandatory training to be allowed to operate a bus.
Some districts only require drivers to operate buses. Other districts will expect drivers to perform additional duties such as being teacher assistants or working in school cafeterias.
The state pays school bus drivers $15 an hour. Some school districts use local funds to boost salaries.
Here’s information from local school districts on how to become a school bus driver.
Wake County
The minimum salary for bus drivers is $17.20 an hour. New bus drivers are also eligible to receive a $1,200 bonus.
Wake requires bus drivers to have had a valid driver’s license for at least two years. They must also have a good driving record with no recent violations.
The district will pay new drivers while they take their CDL training and also cover their CDL license fees.
Go to wcpss.net/busjobs for more information.
Durham Public Schools
The minimum starting salary for bus drivers is $18.13 an hour. Newly hired drivers who already have a valid CDL with the school bus and passenger endorsements will receive a $3,000 recruitment bonus.
District employees who refer a new driver will get a $1,000 bonus.
Bus drivers will receive an extra $150 a month if they have perfect attendance.
Go to dpsnc.net/hr for more information.
Johnston County
The salary depends on whether the employee only drives school buses or has a dual job that may include duties such as being a teacher assistant or cafeteria worker.
Employees who are bus drivers only have a minimum salary of $17.50 an hour. Drivers who have dual jobs have a minimum salary of $15.60 an hour. Employees who have dual jobs are only required to drive in the morning or afternoon while full-time drivers drive both shifts.
The district has legal requirements such as drivers must have no more than one moving violation in the past year and no more than three moving violations in the past five years.
Go to johnston.k12.nc.us/domain/127 for more information.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro
The starting salary for bus drivers is $16.62 an hour. Chapel Hill says it will give drivers up to 40 hours a week compared to districts that pay more per hour but may not provide as many hours.
New drivers are eligible for a $4,000 signing bonus. District employees who refer a new driver will get a $2,000 bonus.
Drivers can also receive $1,000 a year if they have perfect attendance.
The district will pay new drivers while they take their CDL training and also cover their CDL license fees.
Go to chccs.org/Page/11297 for more information.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Want to become a North Carolina school bus driver? Here’s what you need to know.."
