SEATTLE — Nearly a month after the start of school in Seattle many students and parents are still dealing with a shortage of school bus drivers.
In September, we talked to First Student, the transportation company that hires the drivers, and its officials told us not every driver they thought would come back this school year actually did.
“It’s frustrating, I am not going to lie,” said Will Zimmerman, the senior location manager for First Student.
Zimmerman confirmed to KIRO 7 the company has just approved a pay increase this week for drivers in order to try to attract and retain more workers.
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The starting salary has jumped from $18 to $22 dollars an hour, capping at a max of $26 dollars an hour depending on experience.
But candidates need no experience to apply. They just have to be at least 21 years old to apply for a CDL driving permit.
First Student officials said urban areas are usually a difficult place to attract bus drivers, given other career opportunities and fewer candidates willing to work swing shift schedule.
KIRO 7 talked to parent Kevin Oshikawa-Clay, who said this problem with the bus drivers shortage is not new.
“We have been dealing with this for three years, since my daughter started kindergarten. She’s now in second grade,” said Oshikawa-Clay.
Families in the Mount Baker neighborhood said the school bus is late 80 percent of the time both before and after school.
“We don’t want our kids to be tardy, they are missing instruction time,” said Oshikawa-Clay.
The Seattle School District posted on its website asking parents to be patient and find alternative plans for now in case the bus runs late.
Cox Media Group
