Richland Two passes incentive package for bus drivers
January 3, 2017
At its December 13, 2016 meeting, the Richland Two Board of Trustees took steps to improve bus transportation by approving the implementation of an incentive package that awards bonuses to Richland School District Two school bus drivers based on performance and adds days to drivers’ contracts for professional development and training.
“While we may not have much control over the age and number of buses provided to us by the state, we can make sure our bus drivers know they are a valuable part of the Richland Two family and play an important role in supporting the mission of our district,” said Board Chairman James Manning.
Approximately 14,000 Richland School District Two students start and end their school day with the bus drivers who work in the district. For a majority of those bus drivers the day starts early in the morning picking up middle school students and taking them to school. Then they are back on the roads to get elementary students to school followed by high school students.
The district’s Transportation Department operates 75 regular route buses and 39 special needs buses on 581 bus routes. A wide range of extracurricular activities and athletic teams are transported on the district’s activity vehicles and school buses, bringing the annual number of miles driven to more than 2.24 million.
Richland Two Superintendent Debbie Hamm said “Unfortunately, this school year we have experienced an unusually high number of problems with bus transportation caused from bus shortages, driver shortages and mechanical issues resulting from an aging bus fleet. We are working diligently to find solutions to the issues and regret the inconveniences our families face due to the delays and changes to bus routes.”
Recruiting and retaining bus drivers remains a top priority for the Richland Two School Board and district administrators. The board has approved pay increases for bus drivers for the past two years. Known for innovative uses of technology in the classroom, Richland Two is working to put the latest technology in the hands of transportation employees as well.
District and school administrators soon will evaluate new bus routing software to help improve efficiency. Transportation administrators post information daily to the district’s mobile app regarding delayed pick-up or drop-off times.
Anyone interested in driving a bus for Richland Two and making a difference in the life of a child is encouraged to complete an online application. Visit the Richland Two website at richland2.org or call Dennis Jones at 803.736.3774.
