By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The wheels on the bus may go round and round – but only if there’s a qualified person in the driver’s seat.
In a letter sent out to families of Bowling Green City Schools students, new Superintendent Ted Haselman explained the district still has the same old problem that many districts are experiencing – a lack of bus drivers.
The Bowling Green district ended the last school year with the busing limits of:
- No busing for kindergarten through fifth grade students living within one mile of their school.
- No busing for students in grades 6 through 12 living within two miles of their school.
“Unfortunately, we must begin the school year with the same student walking limits due to our continued shortage of drivers,” Haselman wrote. “I know and understand the difficulties and challenges these walking limits have on families of middle school and high school students, and for that I apologize.”
Haselman stressed that the district is trying to recruit and retain drivers.
“The BGCS driver shortage is not due to a lack of effort. The district continues to recruit and search for drivers by having continuous job postings on multiple job boards, we offer paid training, we have adjusted starting salaries, and we have implemented a $2,000 signing bonus in an attempt to attract drivers,” he said. “If we could hire the needed drivers we would.
After sending out the letters, Haselman said the district received one inquiry about taking the bus driving training. Two people are currently in the process of being trained, he added.
“There’s hope,” he said. “If we could get the drivers, we would make the change mid-year.”
However, some people give up before completing the training.
“We’ve had a lot of people start the training path and then they step back,” Haselman said. Last year, 12 people started the training, and 10 “just fizzled out.”
“It’s a challenging job,” the superintendent said.
The transportation director and school garage employee are already planning to continue driving routes every day.
“Right now we don’t have any subs either,” Haselman said.
To return bus service for all students outside the one-mile limit of their schools, at least three more certified drivers must be on the daily schedule.
“So we’re close, But until you have the people,” the routes can’t be extended, he said.
The district’s efforts to attract drivers have included increasing the starting salary to $17.64 an hour with full health benefits and retirement, and a $2,000 signing bonus. “We are hoping to entice individuals,” Haselman said.
Anyone wanting to explore the possibility of becoming a district bus driver, should reach out to Director of Transportation Toby Snow, at 419-354-0900. Any families with questions regarding transportation for the 2023-2024 school year, may also reach out to Snow.
