Charlotte-area school systems face bus driver vacancies near start of fall classes

As students, teachers and staff prepare for the upcoming start of school, one group of employees remains short-staffed in the Charlotte area: bus drivers.

There is a nationwide bus driver shortage, and the effects of that shortage have been felt by local schools.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had nearly 80 bus driver vacancies as of Tuesday, according to a school board meeting presentation. That number changes almost daily, spokesman Brian Hacker told the Observer. The district currently has 890 drivers, he said.

CMS pays bus drivers $15.75 hourly. The district will host a hiring event on Aug. 18 at 4400 Northpointe Industrial Blvd. from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Surrounding districts are also working to recruit new bus drivers.

Gaston County schools have 15 bus driver vacancies, communications officer Todd Hagans said. The district is working to fill those vacancies, he said, but other school employees with bus driver licenses can temporarily cover routes if necessary.

In the Union County schools, transportation director Scott Denton said the district is “not where we want to be.”

Two years ago the district was running 290 buses. Now they’re hoping to recruit enough drivers to run only 230 buses, Denton said. He did not cite a precise number of driver vacancies because the number is in constant flux.

“There’s no question we’re facing a challenge this year, but at the same time we’re going to figure out a way,” Denton said. The nationwide labor shortage has had an impact, he said, “and the pandemic hasn’t helped anything.”

Union County has started employing more on-the-job-training that wasn’t available pre-pandemic to try to encourage more recruits. “We’re hoping that’s going to help us some in attracting and retaining our folks,” Denton said.

On Wednesday, Union County held a job fair to fill transportation and school nutrition service positions. The entry rate of pay is $13.82 for bus drivers, Denton said.

With the shortage in bus drivers, Union County is planning more double bus runs — when a driver picks up multiple routes — than usual.

“We ask for patience and grace from our families and from our students,” Denton said.

Bus drivers are not the only employees that local school districts have had trouble recruiting.

CMS is currently down 123 teachers ahead of its start-of-school on Aug. 29, according to a presentation at Tuesday’s school board meeting. The district also has 35 nurse vacancies.

Union County has 80 vacancies for certified positions including teaching and support staff, spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte said.

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 1:10 PM.