Or they create jobs that combine a couple different positions and boost pay. Bus Driver/Food Service, Bus Driver/IA, Bus Driver/Day Custodian.
Part of the issue is the idea that each of these jobs should be the equivalent of FT compensation.
bus driver shortage
- Thread starter QChawks
- Start date
-
- Tags
- qcpizzasucks
Or they create jobs that combine a couple different positions and boost pay. Bus Driver/Food Service, Bus Driver/IA, Bus Driver/Day Custodian.
Part of the issue is the idea that each of these jobs should be the equivalent of FT compensation.
By cutting in other areas. That's what we did at my school. Utilities, technology, Bus Drivers, Custodians, Maintenance Staff, and Central Office staff are all paid from the same pot of funds. We have eliminated 2 clerical support positions in central office and put those dollars to bus driver wages.
When I was in school, it was a very small town I admit, the bus drivers were all of the substitute teachers who didn’t get called in that day and the two maintenance workers. I’m sure the pay for that gig wasn’t as good as the sub and maintenance jobs but they were reliable folks, also all 65+
Iowa is currently sitting on a Billion dollar surplus. At least we would have no problem funding this.
I agree, however it's tough. The timing just ain't good enough to do (I've looked into it at my district).
We have a few bus aides that are one shift only and in food service for another shift. They "moonlight" with transportation, not food service.
Nailed it. Lib states like Iowa pay lazy bastards to stay at home versus work because they won't get vaccinated to work in an environment where they interact with lots and lots of Covid carriers.
Great question
the bus service is actually a private company so I’m assuming they’d need to raise local property taxes to cover the increase
Raise fees on other services, sporting events, etc.
Everyone will be affected one way or the other.
I can see them eliminating middle school sports, which would be a shame for lower income kids or kids not quite good enough or interested in competing at the club level.
I was driving through my hometown in SE Iowa and they are advertising $30hr for bus drivers.
That isn’t going to cut it unless the fees is pretty high.
For example…
At my school to give a $30/day increase to our 38 route drivers means I need 2,052 athletes contributing $100/year to pay for just the wage increase.
some of the drivers are bat shit crazy.
Actually not a bad gig at all for a retiree or stay at home mom.
Most Districts allow a driver to bring their kid(s) with them on the route if they are too young for school. So a stay at home mom can work in AM, have midday open, and go back in afternoon. No daycare expense. Where else can you do that?
Retirees can do athletic trips (activity driver) that conflict with route time. They get paid to take a team to an athletic event, watch the event, and drive them back. Coach(s) on the bus with them. Not a bad deal.
Most Districts allow a driver to bring their kid(s) with them on the route if they are too young for school. So a stay at home mom can work in AM, have midday open, and go back in afternoon. No daycare expense. Where else can you do that?
Retirees can do athletic trips (activity driver) that conflict with route time. They get paid to take a team to an athletic event, watch the event, and drive them back. Coach(s) on the bus with them. Not a bad deal.
LOL good luck with that. I don't think that sounds fun at all. DO you? If you don't think it sounds like good work they why would anyone else. There are craploads of better jobs than that.
WHy the hell would a stay at home mom want to do that? Why don't you do it? Same reason they don't I suspect.
I’ve known a couple of school districts I’ve lived in that have changed policy to allow a parent to bring a child on route to help solve a bus driver shortage. If you’‘re a single mom with a three year old, for example, you can make money and solve a daycare issue. What’s your better alternative? Welfare and food stamps? Or working as a cashier and paying more than you make in daycare expense?
You’d be surprised how many mothers drive buses in many school districts that take a young child along with them.
Yeah, people that aren't applying for the bus driver jobs will jump at the chance to clean toilets.
I was responding to the idea that pay is too low for a part time job. One way to combat that is to create a job that is full time, pay it well, and provide benefits. Schools aren’t charities there has to be a fair exchange of work for pay.
And yes, I have about 40 people who work for me and clean toilets. 4 of them work jobs like I just described in order to receive higher pay and access to benefits.
Last edited:
Who do you think attends most school sports? You’re just charging the families for the most part either way.
Most jobs aren’t fun. If I needed to provide for my family and was offered decent pay and benefits then I would do one of those jobs. Fortunately, I don’t have to and make good money doing something else.
Again, schools aren’t charities or responsible for providing FT compensation for PT work.
We used to have a few of those types...activities only. But again, it is a very narrow pool to choose from. All of them eventually left because their FT job scheduled them out availability-wise.
Most all activities drivers nowadays are regular route drivers - but that's a tough get for schools because the route schedule doesn't finish in time, or drivers simply don't want to work that much. I try to pick up as many activities as I can because it's extra money and usually are very easy (the kids are almost always excellent, and you have coaches riding too which helps greatly). But if I pick up a trip that begins at 5pm, then gets back to the school after 9pm...and I woke up for the morning shift at 4am - that's a LONG day with a quick turnaround.
3-4 years ago, activities drivers were plentiful. Now, not so much. Activities nowadays often need charters to actually do them at all, or get cancelled because there's no school driver or charter to be had.
