Michigan School Districts In Need For School Bus Drivers

When you hear that everyone is hiring right now, practically everyone is hiring! From grocery stores to fast-food workers, even school bus drivers are struggling to find workers right now.

The Western School District in Jackson County had to combine some of their bus routes, just so that kids would have a ride to school.

Like we said above, this is all due to the fact, there just aren't enough drivers.

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Hiring got so dry, the school district even changed its hiring rules.

“It’s gotten more difficult to find people that want to drive bus,” Western School District Superintendent,

Mike Smida said.

The school district actually began to outsource some of its drivers, according to WILX.

“For us it made more sense and giving that responsibility to another company which freed up our personnel to do other things with our transportation fleet,” he told WILX..

Drivers need a commercial driver's license to operate and drive a bus. There is also a three-day class on rules for Michigan drivers.

Driving a bus can be more intimidating than working in a grocery store or working fast food.

“The biggest thing I had when I started was I was afraid to back it up because it’s so big. It took me a month to get the courage to finally come and talk to my boss and say I can do this,” Western bus driver, Marsha Gooldy said.

If driving a bus is something you are interested in, it is as simple as contacting your local school. Some even will help pay for classes just to get you certified. Places like Dean Transporation, Williamston Community Schools, even Merts are offering a sign-on bonus.