Wanted: School bus drivers all over U.S.

LINCOLN, Neb. — School districts throughout the U.S. are struggling to find school bus drivers, a challenge that has worsened with low unemployment and a strong economy.

The problem has become so severe that some districts are offering sign-up bonuses for new drivers, while others rely on mechanics, custodians and other school employees to fill the gap. For parents and students, the shortage can mean longer waits for a ride to school and more crowded buses.

The shortage stems from a variety of factors, including limited work hours and high barriers to entry. Drivers generally need a commercial driver’s license, which requires training, sometimes without pay, said Mike Martin, executive director of the National Association of Pupil Transportation.

“Unless you have something to fill in the gaps (between drives), you can’t make the money you need to support your family,” Martin said. “These days, most people are looking for some kind of regular, fulltime hours.”

In Iowa’s Southeast Polk Community School District, transportation director Daniel Schultz said the persistent shortage has grown worse in the suburban Des Moines district because there aren’t as many retired farmers, a group that commonly took the job for extra income.

In St. Paul, Minn., some students are arriving late to school because fill-in drivers aren’t familiar with the normal routes. A school district in Ypsilanti, Mich., had to cancel a day of school in February because there weren’t enough substitute drivers to cover for sick drivers.

And in Hawaii last year, a driver shortage in Maui forced officials to suspend bus rides for some students and limit rides for some others. The district offered free monthly bus passes on local public transportation.

NATI HARNIK/AP Public school bus driver Kristi Meyers loads children onto her bus, in Lincoln, Neb., last week.