Wednesday, April 24, 2024
EXCELLENCE IN THE BUS BARN: Mechanic James Riddle honors the Transportation Department as the 2022 GISD Employee of the Year.
NEAR FUTURE CHALLENGES: A bus driver shortage and rising cost of fuel are just two of several major school transportation challenges GISD faces.
School bus drivers often don’t get the credit they deserve for dedicating their lives every week to ensure students make it to and from home and school safely.
From minor student behavioral issues to angry motorists on the road, bus drivers have to multitask and keep their calm in extreme high-stress situations.
But bus drivers are now having to face problems bigger than trash littering the walkways.
Granbury ISD has recently dealt with several issues in the transportation department like the growing traffic in Hood County, the rising cost of gas prices and the shortage of bus drivers available in the area.
TRAFFIC
As Hood County grows, unfortunately, so does the traffic.
The more businesses and restaurants that come in, the bigger the population, which can have a negative impact on buses as the drivers attempt to get to school on time.
“The increased traffic load means it takes more time to get from one side of town to the other,” said Brian Caruthers, director of transportation for GISD. “It means routes are adjusted to take into account traffic flow and intensity. It also means that drivers should be concentrating on traffic more which takes their attention away from the students.”
GAS PRICE INCREASE
With gas prices increasing earlier this year due to the high demand of crude oil, school districts have been forced to pay outrageous amounts in gas for transportation — and Granbury is no exception.
“The district has had to transfer money to the transportation budget twice to finish the budget school year,” Caruthers said. “This in turn takes money from other projects in the school.”
BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE
A bus driver shortage has been affecting public schools across the nation for quite a while, but the issue was largely exacerbated the last couple of years due to the effects of COVID-19.
Caruthers said that GISD is always looking for quality drivers for the district as the skill is “high in demand.” Additionally, one of the big issues that many schools face is “finding willing workers post-COVID.”
“Federal regulations for entry-level driver training combined with the Texas Driver’s License Office backlog is creating a system that is harder than ever before to get someone qualified to drive a school bus,” he said.
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
GISD is currently looking for five bus drivers for the upcoming school year.
Employees will receive weekends, holidays and paid time off, as well as insurance and teacher retirement benefits.
Starting pay is at $17 per hour. Training is also provided if the individual does not have their CDL license.
For more information or to apply to become a bus driver, contact Damon McBride at 817-408-4150.
