Throughout the pandemic, bus drivers have transported children to school and off-campus events. Iowa bus drivers have recently been asking for extra pay due to hazards. This may be the cause for the major bus driver shortage in the district.

Over the last year there has been a shortage of about 15-20 bus drivers, making it difficult for many students to get to after school events. Students are packed into buses or don’t get any buses and are unable to make it to some events. 

It’s not only students that are fed up with bussing, bus drivers are too. 

“We have a lot of guys that have risk factors for COVID-19 and so based on that it’s got to be a pretty dangerous job,” Dave Ramsey, a bus driver, said.

Because of this, he and many other bus drivers want to “open the conversation to hazard pay.” CRCSD offers a $500 starting bonus to any new bus drivers but there is no hazard pay at the moment.