GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. — Greene County school leaders voted to boost the pay of new school bus drivers on Thursday, in a move meant to help fill several openings leaders said they are struggling to fill.
During the school board's regular meeting on Thursday, leaders voted to change the first-year pay rate for drivers with no experience to $13.25 per hour, a change of 75 cents. They also decided to give drivers that do not miss any days during a semester a bonus of $750.
The bonus will be available for substitute drivers on a pro-rated basis, based on the number of days driven for regular routes.
They also decided to implement a $500 referral bonus for current school bus drivers in the county who helps hire new drivers. That new driver would need to remain in the position for a year, according to the proposal.
They also changed the custodial pay for regular route bus drivers. Now, they will be paid on days that students are not transported or on days that they do not drive a route. Otherwise, the bus pay will be for 8 hours, according to the proposal.
Leaders said that a lack of drivers can have more impact than students struggling to get to school on time. They said it can limit their ability to attend afterschool activities.
"It's been very difficult this year," said Daniel Thompson, a Green County Operations Supervisor. "I think we're down five positions right now within the county."
Leaders also said that the problem is not new and that they struggled to hire drivers for many years. However, they said that the COVID-19 pandemic made the issues worse.