School District of Lee County bus driver shortage likely due to low pay

Where are the kids?

Parents regularly contact WINK News to vent their frustration on how late their kids arrive home from school. The bus driver shortage may be the main impediment to smooth transportation.

Susan Defee, a Fort Myers resident, drove school buses for 25 years in Georgia.

Defee said she is not surprised that the School District of Lee County is facing a bus driver shortage. She blames low pay and how students are assigned to schools.

“Big burden on the district,” Defee said. “If the parent chooses to go from Cape Coral down to Bonita Springs [at] that point the parents should be required if they choose to transport their child.”

Defee said routes like that create a burden on the district’s transportation. But Rob Spicker, the School District of Lee County spokesperson, said it is not that simple.

“We have students that choose to go to some schools based on the programs we offer them there they would no longer be able to go to those programs,” Spicker said. “It’s one or the other.”

Spicker said it comes down to pay.

“After about three months of experience, the bus drivers are able to go out and get another job driving that pays the more that has more consistent hours.”

The district has a tentative agreement with the union, which would include a raise. On top of that, the district is looking at offering an incentive package that would cover the cost of training as well as drop the high school diploma requirement.

“You don’t need a high school diploma to drive a bus,” Defee said. “Just common sense.”

Soon after 6 p.m., the School District of Lee County is expected to approve an incentive package to keep bus drivers on the roads, to ensure students arrive home safe and on time.

Those measures are expected to give school bus drivers more incentive and buoyancy in their day-to-day workdays.

Right now, there is 753 bus routes and 745 full-time drivers. But with an average of 60 drivers calling out sick per day, they are well short of their needs. Defee said to respect the bus drivers more and the sick days would not be an issue.

“Appreciate what they do because here’s [the] reality,” Defee said. Employees in the schools, such as teachers, would not have a job without the bus drivers.

“I would tell you there perhaps one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable member of the district,” Spicker said.