Community service posting: we need bus drivers

esuss

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 1:16 pm

This is a community service request. The school bus companies servicing many frum schools in Monsey / Spring valley have a severe shortage of bus drivers, especially for the morning routes. If anyone you know has a CDL license they can apply directly to the bus companies. Or if someone wants to quickly get a CDL license. This is a paying part time job. I do not know specifics. This will also be a huge chesed for all us parents who are left driving our children every morning for a lack of bus drivers.

Please forward this request to others.

ocean blue

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 1:30 pm

It is great you are posting this here, but what about you include the appropriate links? And maybe a few more details, like pay and benefits? Maybe it will be more enticing, no?

It has been a rough beginning to the school year, not knowing if and when a school bus shows up. Having a large family, with children in many different schools makes it even more challenging. Today actually, all buses came in the morning, one of them arrived today for the first time as we were pulling out of the driveway,. But 2 of our schools do not have afternoon drivers yet.

I always wondererd why there is no frum people (as far as I know and hopefully until now only) working for the school bus company. Maybe you could explain why? And will whatever prevented frum people from getting those jobs change now?

mha3484

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 1:46 pm

When I signed up for bussing in Chicago there was a huge underlined bolded disclaimer that busing is tenuous due to bus driver shortage. IE make sure you have back up plans. We had a months notice. We do have bussing bh but I appreciated the honesty. I would be very upset to have this sprung on me once the school year has already started.

This is a massive problem across the country. There is a severe lack of bus drivers. Chicago Public Schools had 70 drivers quit at once over vaccine mandates. Parents are loosing their minds.

Honestly, its an hourly job its not a full 8 hour day. Someone with a CDL can work many more hours for better pay and no children that are wild and dont behave. Its a hard sell to get someone to drive a school bus.

Amarante

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 1:52 pm

Good luck as there is a severe shortage of bus drivers throughout the country. Some districts are paying parents to drive their children.

The job has always been relatively hard to fill since the hours are terrible for a part time job and the conditions are also terrible.

Blessing1

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 2:27 pm

There's a driver shortage in general, not just for bus companies. Our school has their own bussing and had to combine routes because of lack of drivers. Some kids are on the bus 2 hours. It's abnormal.
I wonder what's the cause of the shortage.

Amarante

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 2:30 pm

Blessing1 wrote:

The cause is low pay and bad working conditions. You only have part time hours even though your whole day is effectively shot because of morning and afternoon. Many companies don't have any benefits.

I think that many people who drove might have been retired and because of COVID don't want to take the risk.

It isn't just bus drivers but many industries that pay little, have no benefits and not great working conditions are having trouble finding people to take the terrible jobs.

thunderstorm

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 2:37 pm

I spoke to Chestnut Ridge Transportation yesterday. My son’s route does not have a driver yet but they did get some more drivers that will be starting soon. They said to call every Friday to see if they found a driver. Then the following week the route will start on Monday morning. This way you know if you need to go out to the stop or not.

mha3484

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 2:40 pm

In Chicago average salary for a truck driver is $60k. Some googling showed up to $80k. Driving a schoool bus is $18 an hour. Most people would much rather take their CDL and drive a truck then a bus. Its not even comparable.

Amarante

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 2:51 pm

mha3484 wrote:

And there is a shortage of regular commercial truck drivers so many school bus drivers have employment opportunities with better paying companies.

Blessing1

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 3:11 pm

ra_mom wrote:

It's a disaster here in Brooklyn. The kids are really suffering.

I heard. My brothers cheder stopped transportation for the older classes, some boys live a 30-40 minute walk from cheder. They started riding their scooters to cheder.

exaustedmom

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 3:23 pm

Here in Brooklyn, a bus driver is a very well paying job and in the Jewish yeshiva, a full time job. There are 3 shifts in the morning and 3-4 shifts in the afternoon. I know of a rebbi who quit his job to become a bus driver because of the high salary.

Our bussing right now is a disaster. Busses leave school and hour later than usual and the kids are on the bus for a very long time.

So any takers?

shanie5

Tue, Oct 05 2021, 6:57 pm

Drivers in general are hard to find. The walmarts by us have practically empty aisles cuz they can't find drivers to deliver.
The city here is looking for seasonal drivers for plowing and salting the roads. They have only 42% of the staff they need.
Some bus companies pay per run. I know a few school bus drivers that like the freedom and earn what they want.