School Bus Drivers: Recruiting Drivers

School bus driver shortages are occurring nationwide, so it is important for school districts to recruit and hire qualified candidates.  Even though there is a driver shortage transportation officials should not relax hiring standards in order to rush and fill open positions.  It takes someone with very special and unique skill sets to be a good school bus driver. 

Posting ads on major job search boards is one way to recruit drivers.  This can result in a high volume of responses that will need to be drilled down.  For smaller operations this may be an overwhelming task that may not result in many qualified candidates.

Social media is another great online source for recruiting and networking with potential drivers.  People who see the social media posts can also share and forward the information to people they feel may be qualified to fill the position.

Districts can also participate in job fairs which will allow possible candidates to fill out applications and be interviewed on the spot.  This type of face-to-face recruiting allows for immediate interactions that can help to streamline the process and move qualified candidates through the process faster.

Transportation officials should also reach out to current drivers for referrals.  Great people know other great people, so they should reach out to their current pool of drivers for possible applicants.  Current drivers will be able to tell someone firsthand what it is like to be a school bus driver and what they can expect to experience on a daily basis.  Current drivers can tell the story of being a driver better than anyone else.  Transportation officials should provide an incentive for referrals.  The incentive should be significant enough to prompt current drivers to take the time to really consider possible qualified candidates to refer. 

Background checks are an important piece of the hiring process.  Bus drivers have to be carefully and thoroughly screened to ensure that their employment history, driving and criminal history are clear of any red flags and issues.  Potential candidates also need to undergo drug and alcohol testing, both as part of the pre-employment process and random checks once they are hired.  Physical performance requirements also need to be met to make sure they can withstand the challenges and physical requirements for daily and emergency situations.

Recruiting and interviewing school bus drivers is an important and serious process.  There are costs involved in getting rid of bad drivers and also with dealing with a limited staff of drivers that are unable to accommodate all of the transportation needs.  This is why it is important for districts to recruit and interview and not allow for the shortage of drivers to impact their decision making.