The Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) has continued to suffer from bus driver shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the district implemented new ways to maximize transportation efficiency.

“With new federal requirements, the bus drivers are required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL),” CRCSD Transportation Manager Scott Wing said. “There has been a nationwide shortage for all bus drivers requiring one.”

The CDL program is paid for by CRCSD and is meant to train new drivers.

“We have had to make significant changes to bring in more workers,” Wing said. “We started offering hiring bonuses and increasing wages every year.”

The district has raised wages to $21.26 per hour. New CDL drivers receive a $2000 bonus and existing CDL drivers receive a $5000 bonus. Last year, they also started offering health and dental insurance benefits.

“Last year, we increased the pay $1.81 per hour and offered insurance,” Wing said. “These things significantly increased our hiring.”

After the pandemic, CRCSD had to cut 11 bus routes from the district’s system. They’ve also had to combine many routes across town, such as Harding and Kennedy’s.

“We had to cut back on routes,” Wing said. “We stopped service with the non-public schools. We also had to combine many routes across the system.”

Pre-pandemic, there were a total of 114 yellow bus drivers on the district payroll. When students and staff returned to school in Sept 2020, there were 59.

“The bus that I ride comes from Harding,” sophomore Braylan Pohl said. “It’s normal for me to wait at least 15 – 20 minutes after school ends.”

Currently, there are 73 bus drivers on the CRCSD’s payroll. They will continue to increase the starting wage each year to keep up with inflation.

“They are tough jobs and challenging hours,” Wing said. “It takes a very specific worker to desire part-time split-shift work.”

To find out how to apply, visit this link.