The Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District is currently experiencing a shortage of bus drivers as well as difficulty replacing retiring drivers.
“It’s unfortunate that the situation is not unique to our community,” said Steve King, superintendent for the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District. “If you look at the school bus driver shortage, it’s a national issue across the board. Everyone is looking for workers and it’s a circumstance of the economy.”
King plans to retire as superintendent in December but will stay on until COCSD finds a replacement.
Daniel Maldonado became the district’s transportation director at the beginning of July. He previously drove a bus for over four years and will continue to do so in his new position.
Maldonado said that the district has lost five drivers within the last year and that the decline has been ongoing since the COVID19 pandemic. Many of the district’s drivers are aging as well, as they are pursuing the job as a second career or as retirees. King commented on the challenge of competing with private industry.
The training period for new drivers lasts about a month and a half. The district has its own in-house training program and also works with other school districts to certify their drivers. One of their teachers was recently certified through the program to enable her to take her students on a field trip without having to rely on regular drivers.
King said that the shortage has not yet forced the district to cancel any field trips or sports events. Routes have been delayed once or twice last year in total, which King described as being miraculous. Achieving that on-time performance required everyone who was trained to drive, including mechanics and the transportation director.
“You won’t find a more dedicated group of individuals within our school district, or any school district for that matter, than bus drivers,” King said. “They truly get it and they are more a family than any other group.”
King has put out multiple pleas asking community members to apply to be a bus driver and asking for their understanding of the district’s limited resources. He said that the drivers need to love being with children and also pointed out that a driver’s position offers considerable flexibility. Drivers can work morning and afternoon routes or do field trips in the middle of the day, potentially as often or as little as they want.
Maldonado’s typical day as the transportation director involves driving his route, making sure all of the routes are covered, trying to find more drivers and catching up on any tasks that need to be done around the bus barn, such as washing buses or checking them.
“I want to make sure that this group of people feels that they’re represented well,” Maldonado said. “I want them to know that we’ve got their back from a management standpoint and from the district standpoint. I want to make sure that everyone is well aware that I’ve been in their position. I know where they’re at. I want them to make sure that they feel safe and secure where they’re at. They’re in this for the long haul, so am I.”
Visit cocsd.us for more information if interested in applying to be a bus driver.
