Some JCPS bus drivers make $100K a year, as district holds hiring blitz to cut bus delays

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools continues its push to recruit more bus drivers, as the district deals with continuous bus delays. The district tells WDRB that pay is not the problem.

Driving a bus is a tough job. We've heard from bus drivers about the struggles, the behavior issues and a shortage of drivers nationwide.

JCPS superintendent Marty Pollio said, "We look at where our bus drivers are in years experience right now. And once again, it tips very much to the veteran side. So once again, we are having many more drivers retire than are coming into the system. That has happened for about seven or eight years in a row."

JCPS is looking to hire more bus drivers, as the district is dealing with bus delays. Pollio said the district is transporting 66,000 students a day with about 570 bus drivers.

The district said it's working hard to get more people behind the wheel of a bus, while hoping next school year will be better.

Pollio said, "The bottom line is this: We have less bus drivers, than we have routes. There is no other way around that. We are going to make sure that we get every kid to school on time, when we have more routes than bus drivers. So it's one of two things. Dramatically increase the bus drivers or dramatically decrease the routes that we provide to families or we will continue to have kids late, and we'll be doing the same story next year as well."

A Bus Driver Hiring Blitz is scheduled Saturday, Feb. 10, and JCPS hopes people come out and apply.

The Superintendent said pay is not the problem.

"We have aggressively worked on pay increases to the point where our average salary for a bus driver is $55,000 per year, and I hope that is highlighted $55,000 per year. We have a large number of bus drivers who are making over $75,000 a year. We have some that are making in excess of $100,000 a year now."

He said those making six figures are working challenging routes or working additional time with early childhood routes.

JCPS pays for the training and getting a commercial driver's license. But after certification, some leave for other jobs.

"So I think if you went to any industry that is employing people they would talk about the struggle right now, along with especially those with CDLs. So we are losing bus drivers to places like Amazon, FedEx, those type of places, and so it's a challenge that remains and continues," Pollio said.

The JCPS Bus Driver Hiring Blitz runs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport on Crittenden Drive.

Interested candidates can apply on-site, get a physical there and get help with the application. Bring a driver's license, two forms of ID and a copy of your high school diploma or GED. Also, bring a social security card, voided check or letter from direct deposit and information from two references.

Callahan said, "The certification class takes two weeks. Once an applicant passes their test and brings their license in, we put them to work."

JCPS Communications manager Mark Hebert said there's no target number on how many bus drivers the district hopes to hire at the event Saturday, but JCPS wants to hire "as many as we can."

Pollio said if you need a job, there are plenty of bus driver positions available here and across the country.

"In Chicago right now, they're only offering transportation to Special Ed students and that's it. We actually have more bus drivers than Chicago Public Schools has right now and they are four or five times our size 400,000 to 500,000 students, and so this is clearly an issue across the nation," Pollio said.

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