School bus driver shortage continues for another year

Aug. 10—Only one local school system has all the bus drivers it requires as students begin classes this week, and two local systems have desperate needs for new drivers despite the state increasing the amount it provides for their pay by 4%.

Cliff Booth, Morgan County Schools transportation director, said his district has 111 routes with 110 full-time drivers to work them. He said he currently has two openings for full-time positions, but no substitutes available to cover for absences.

"We're basically down to nothing ... . It's really, really bad," Booth said. "If I have another one that retires or resigns or quits or gets sick, I don't know what I'm going to do."

He said the system is in worse shape with bus drivers than it was last school year.

"I'm at the point now that the only options I have is if somebody from Decatur City or Hartselle wants to come drive for us," Booth said.

Morgan County school bus drivers earn from $85 to $95 a day, depending on experience, for four hours of work.

The outlook is rosier in Lawrence County. David Rutherford, transportation director for the county school system, said last year his district had only one substitute bus driver and barely enough drivers to cover the district's 82 routes. Now, they have eight substitutes.

"I don't know what happened, but this year I have several subs that have licenses," Rutherford said. "If nothing changes, I think we're going to be in pretty good shape this year."

Rutherford said he realizes his situation could change during the year because of turnover if some drivers seek higher paying jobs.

"I've started the year before with a pretty good list of people and these people get jobs elsewhere or they drop out and decide bus driving is not for them," Rutherford said.

The current salary for bus drivers in Lawrence County is between $87.50 a day for beginner drivers and $96.36 a day for drivers with over 15 years of experience. Substitute bus drivers get paid $70 a day. Before the 4% state increase, Lawrence paid $84.13 to $92.36.

Rutherford said the district has 91 drivers, including the eight substitutes, to work 83 routes this year. There was a new route added that Rutherford said resulted from the closing of R.A. Hubbard High School in North Courtland this year.

Chip Miller, Decatur City Schools transportation supervisor, said he would like to hire three more full-time bus drivers but "we're covered for" the first day of classes today.

Miller said his district was better prepared to begin school this year because no one is having to quarantine from the COVID-19 virus.

"I feel like we're in a better position this year," Miller said. "Last year, it seems like we didn't have everything covered on the first day of school. We've got everything covered now if we can just keep everybody healthy."

DCS currently has 72 full-time drivers and one substitute to drive 153 routes. Salaries for drivers are $97.27 a day. Miller said last year, the school district approved an extra $2,000 to be added to their yearly salary.

Decatur's system is set up to have its 72 drivers handle two, sometimes three, routes a day.

Limestone County Schools are still feeling a severe impact from the school bus driver shortage. Rusty Bates, the system's transportation director, said there are more bus routes than bus drivers.

"I currently have nine full-time positions open and two bus aides and about to have a third bus aide (open), so I am 12 slots down," Bates said.

His staff of 131 includes 19 aides as well as nurses and mechanics.

"So, when you take away all that, that leaves you with 100 drivers to work 113 routes."

The yearly pay for Limestone County bus drivers is $18,000, which Bates says is around $100 a day.

Bates said he drove school buses around the county in July with "now hiring" signs posted in the windows like he did last year. He said his efforts were effective, with his office receiving several calls about the open positions, but "it takes a while for someone to start driving."

"We've got some people starting down the pipeline, but if you don't have any experience, you're a month to two months out," Bates said.

Rutherford said he just felt "lucky" that Lawrence County is no longer facing a shortage of school bus drivers.

"I think by word of mouth, my bus drivers spread the need that we need bus drivers and communicated the benefits of the job," Rutherford said. "Honestly, I think I just got lucky."

— wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.