COLORADO SPRINGS — Academy District 20 is less than a week from the start of school, but they are experiencing a significant shortage in bus drivers, which could throw a wrench in starting the school year off smoothly.
The school district says they are experiencing a 20 percent shortage of bus drivers and transportation paraprofessionals. They say on the first day of school everyone in the transportation office and maintenance staff will be driving school buses, but they say doing this is not sustainable for the rest of the school year.
The school district announced they are now offering three types of incentives to attract new drivers. The district said they also increased the starting pay for bus drivers to $16.17 an hour, and that in most cases they will provide training for a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) at no cost to the applicant. They also have increased the starting pay for transportation paraprofessionals to $13.56 an hour.
Below are the three types of incentives we are now offering:
Signing & Retention Incentive:
- $2,000 for all new bus drivers hired and working after Sept. 30, 2021. Fifty percent of this incentive is awarded after successful training and the remaining 50 percent is awarded after one (1) year of continuous service, excluding Workers Compensation leaves of 30 days or less.
- $1,000 for all new bus paraprofessionals hired and working after Sept. 30, 2021. Fifty percent of this incentive is awarded after successful training and the remaining 50 percent is awarded after one (1) year of continuous service, excluding Workers Compensation leaves of 30 days or less.
- $1,000 for all current bus drivers and all other Transportation Department classified staff hired, working, and who completed training on or before Sept. 30, 2021. The first 50 percent is awarded in October 2021 and the second 50 percent is awarded after one year of continuous service, excluding Workers Compensation leaves of 30 days or less, in October 2022.
Attendance Incentive: $250 per semester to bus drivers who are absent one day or less during a semester. The incentive is awarded the month following the driver’s perfect or nearly perfect semester of attendance.
Recruiting Incentive: $200 for any district staff member (excluding administrators) who recruits a new bus driver. Fifty percent is awarded after completion of successful training and the remaining 50 percent after one year of continuous service by the newly recruited bus driver.
If anyone is interested in becoming an ASD20 bus driver or transportation paraprofessional, below are the links to apply:
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