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Syracuse City School District Tackles Bus Driver Shortage Syracuse City School District Tackles Bus Driver Shortage

By Dylan Johnson

A yellow school bus sitting in the parking lot
© 2021 Dylan Johnson

REPORTER: ANDRE THOMAS IS A SINGLE FATHER WITH TWO CHILDREN IN SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOLS.
HE KNOWS FIRSTHAND THE SCHOOLS’ NEED FOR BUS DRIVERS.
THOMAS SAYS LAST YEAR THE SCHOOLS MADE CALLS ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO HELP DRIVE THE SCHOOL BUSES.
WHEN TRANSPORTATION COMPANY “FIRST STUDENT” HELD A HIRING EVENT, THOMAS SHOWED UP.
ANDRE THOMAS: “The bus districts need help, they need employees. We need people. We need abled bodies. We need people with good licenses to get out and come help out so we can get these children back and forth to school.”
REPORTER: SYRACUSE ISN’T ALONE IN ITS NEED FOR BUS DRIVERS.
ROBIN HANSEN IS THE CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL RECRUITER FOR FIRST STUDENT.
SHE HANDLES 10 LOCATIONS IN THE STATE AND SAYS THE SHORTAGE IS HAPPENING ALL OVER.
ROBIN HANSEN: “It is a nationwide epidemic, and it’s unfortunate.”
REPORTER: HANSEN SAYS FIRST STUDENT IS ALWAYS HIRING TO ENSURE IT HAS ENOUGH DRIVERS FOR THE SCHOOLS.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Syracuse City School District is facing a shortage of bus drivers, like many school districts across the country.

First Student, the largest provider of student transportation in North America, handles the transportation for SCSD and held its first-ever hands-on hiring event to address the shortage.

“It is a nationwide epidemic, and it’s unfortunate,” said Robin Hansen, who is First Student’s Central New York Regional Recruiter. Hansen oversees 10 locations and sees the shortage all over.

Syracuse resident Andre Thomas came to the event for his children. Thomas is a single father of three, two of whom are in Syracuse City Schools. Thomas works nights as a Medical Technician at Upstate University Hospital and wanted to add another job. He also liked the flexible schedule, as he would need to be available for his two younger kids during the day since he already works nights.

Thomas knows firsthand the schools’ need for more bus drivers. He said last year that the school was making calls to try and find more help with driving the buses. Because Thomas’ own kids need safe transportation for school, he takes the shortage seriously.

“The bus districts need help, they need employees,” Thomas said. “We need people. We need abled bodies. We need people with good licenses to get out and come help out so we can get these children back and forth to school.”

First Student held the event in the parking lot behind Embassy Suites near Destiny USA, and gave people the opportunity to come test drive a 40-foot school bus with an instructor.

Candidates above the age of 21 had to have a valid license with three or more years of driving experience and successfully complete a background check and drug test. First Student offers wages starting at $21.36 an hour, a sign-on bonus, paid training and a flexible schedule. The sign-on bonus is $5,000 for drivers who already have a Commercial Driver’s License and is $1,500 for those without one.

Hansen said First Student will continue to hire until it has enough drivers for the schools.

 

 

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