ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Some school districts are once again struggling to find enough bus drivers. The Rochester City School District says it has been actively recruiting drivers all summer and contracts with five other busing companies that are also trying to hire more bus drivers. 

What You Need To Know

  •  RCSD transports more than 26,000 students to 225 locations

  •  Greece CSD transports 10,000 to 98 schools

  • If you are interested in becoming a school bus driver you are encouraged to apply now

The Rochester City School District says it does not have a full staff of bus drivers to start the school year. 

"Sometimes we have bus drivers call-in, I am talking about 30, 40 or 50 in one day. We cannot fill our full-time positions, but we also do not have the pool of subs to jump in when someone calls out sick or something happens," said RCSD Deputy Superintendent of Administration, Ruth Turner. "The first couple of days there could be some hiccups and the bus could be a few minutes late. Please be patient with us."

Turner says the district has combined some bus routes and will call on other staff members who have their CDL to fill in and drive if needed. The district transports more than 26,000 students to 225 locations.

"We need individuals who enjoy working with students who can and are willing to be bus drivers to fill out those applications and to help us address this issue," Turner said. "Until we are really able to get individuals interested in doing that we are going to continue to struggle providing. We can have all the buses in the world, but if we don't have drivers we are not going anywhere."

There are incentives to become a school bus driver. RCSD provides paid training. The district will help interested drivers earn their CDL. Many districts offer flexible work schedules and medical benefits.

The Greece Central School District is also in need of drivers and just increased its starting pay for bus drivers to $26 an hour. The district transports more than 10,000 students to 98 different schools. GCSD has combined some bus routes, moved some bus stop locations so that drivers make fewer stops and have had to contract out 70 bus routes.

"Everyone is looking for drivers. It's trying to do more with less. Ideally we do not want to contract out, but we have a job to do and that is to get students to and from school safely," said Dave Richardson, GCSD executive director of students services. "The two trains are leaving the station in the opposite direction. It is more of a challenge now with all of the options that are out there for parents with all the private, parochial and charter schools. The state rule is anyone who lives within 15 miles of that school, the host school district must provide transportation if they got their application in by April 1."

Pre-COVID, Greece CSD says it transported students to 60 schools versus its current route that includes 98 locations. 

Districts are asking families to make sure that their home phone number and home address are up-to-date. If anyone is having any significant transportation delays you are asked to call your district transportation office.