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SALT LAKE CITY — Administrators in Utah's schools are having a very tough time finding and keeping bus drivers. It's a problem affecting almost every school district in the state.
After a number of complaints from parents about late drop-offs and pick-ups KSL News looked into the scope of the problem and a possible solution.
"It takes a lot to be a bus driver. It takes someone special to be able to do this job," said school bus driver Janet Goff.
Just as important to kids' safety as teachers, bus drivers like Goff are tasked with watching and safely transporting your children.
"We are carrying the world's most precious cargo," she said. Goff has worked for a couple of school districts over the years, and it's clear she takes pride in driving her bus.
"I love having the interaction with the kids; it's fun," she said.
But finding loyal drivers like Goff is apparently an uphill battle.
"It's all over the state, if not all over the nation," said Bruce Young, director of transportation for the Canyons School District.
Young said finding people to fill the bus driver's seat is a constant struggle. "It takes sometimes six, seven weeks to fill a route after someone leaves," he said.
And those "someones" leave a lot.
"If someone's working here and a trucking firm calls up and says, 'Hey, can you come and drive for us? We'll pay you so much and offer you 40 hours a week and benefits.' Pshh, they go," Young said.
A 40-hour-a-week job is something the Canyons District — and almost all other school districts — just can't offer. For most, driving a bus is a part-time gig only during the school year.
"We can only work our substitute drivers 28 hours a week," Young said.
But drivers often leave or call in sick because of other part-time jobs, he said. Two to three times a week, Young or others in his office will jump on a bus just to get the kids where they need to be.
"We may have a couple mechanics go out and drive; sometimes two out of three dispatchers will go out and drive," he said.
In our investigation, KSL News found out the need for drivers is hitting 37 districts in the state out of 41, with the exception of a few smaller districts — and the Ogden School District.
"All of our routes are staffed," said Jared Bond, with the First Student transportation company. "We do have drivers, and we've never had a shortage that's created any type of service issue."
Bond, whose company contracts with the Ogden School District, says the district's transportation system is "one of a kind in the state of Utah." The district doesn't own a single yellow bus; all of its buses are owned and operated by First Student.
First Student is a private company, the largest provider of school transportation in North America. Here in Utah, Ogden is the only district that uses the company, and has for 22 years.
"When I do interview or hire a driver, we do offer year-round employment," Bond said.
Let's get back on board with Janet Goff, who drives for Ogden School District but is employed by First Student. One of the reasons she says she really loves her job is because she works an average of 35 to 39 hours a week, all year long.
"Last summer was crazy busy! I was gone all summer long," she said.
Chartering for churches, athletics, schools and community centers, First Student drivers stay employed while most districts let thousands of school buses sit in a garage for three months each summer. And that makes drivers like Goff stick around.
On average, drivers at First Student make less per hour than drivers in other districts, but they work a lot more.
As for Ogden School District, it spends a flat $1.4 million a year on transportation. That includes maintenance, mileage, insurance, fuel — every single penny related to transportation.
Other districts of comparable size are paying much more: $5 million in Box Elder County School District and $10 million in Davis School District. Young said the Canyons School District spends $7.9 million per year on transportation.
So if Ogden School District is saving taxpayers that much money, why isn't everyone on board?
"I've talked to other districts, not just in the state, out of the state, that have tried it, and it hasn't gone well," Bond said.
In 1996, Salt Lake City Schools outsourced busing to a company called Tran Spec. They dumped the service within the first year after numerous complaints from parents and educators.
But in Ogden, not only is the ride to and from school cheaper, if you ask Goff it's also smooth and steady.
