COLUMBUS, Ohio — With six weeks until the start of the 2023-2024 school year, Columbus City Schools is looking to hire additional bus drivers.
CCS is not alone in the search for bus drivers. A spokesperson for the district called it a "nationwide shortage," as many are looking to increase their driver pool before the start of school.
A statement from CCS' Director of Communications Jacqueline Bryant read in part: "We’re still building routes for the start of the school year, and at this point in the summer, we anticipate having enough drivers to launch the school year. Things could still change as we are still in the middle of a bus driver shortage."
Eligible candidates are required to complete a six-week training course and obtain a commercial driver's license before driving full-time.
"Bus drivers really are considered a student's first teacher. They're the first face that a child sees in the morning and they're the last face a child sees in the evening so, bus drivers are an extremely important part of our work force," said Courtney Noble Hale, interim executive director for CCS.
As far as a background check goes, Hale said that applicants just need to have a clean driving record and overall clean background to be able to pass employment checks and any minimum requirements for a CDL license.
Last year, the shortage of bus drivers led to several transportation issues.
"We heard a lot of stories about children as young as five being on the bus for hours at a time and parents not being able to find them or buses being late," said Molly Farrell, a CCS parent.
The district made several changes, including news routes midway through the year.
At the end of last year, the district had 490 bus drivers. They're offering incentives to attract new drivers. According to its website, employment as a bus driver pays $19.88 per hour.