OVIEDO, Fla. – Transportation officials at Seminole County Public Schools said the district is in need of school bus drivers.
Stan McKinzie, of the school district’s transportation services, explained it’s typical to see a shortage every school year.
“We have approximately 330 bus drivers. We are about 25-30 bus drivers short, but we are usually like that every year,” he said.
McKinzie said the department is working with Career Source Central Florida and other community outlets to recruit more drivers.
A banner seeking drivers has also been posted outside Winter Springs Elementary.
“I call a bus driver a teacher on wheels. The bus driver is responsible of the safety, not only of themselves, but every student that’s on the bus and the drivers also on the road,” he said.
On Thursday, bus drivers were seen practicing some of the new safety procedures that will be put in place for students riding the bus to and from school.
During the coronavirus pandemic, hand sanitizer will be placed on each bus and each driver will have a bag of personal protection equipment.
“After every run, every driver is responsible for wiping down every touch-point on a bus,” McKinzie said.
However, at this point it is still unclear how many students will be riding buses. Parents have until July 24 to decide whether their children will be returning to traditional school or continue at-home learning.
Interested applicants can apply to be bus drivers on the district’s website here.