LAUDERDALE CO., Alabama (WAFF) – Lauderdale County school officials are looking for people to help keep the wheels of the bus turning as there is currently a shortage of bus drivers.
Brenda Dison is the director of transportation for Lauderdale County Schools and currently a bus driver herself. She has been licensed to drive buses for some time, but she mostly drives off the road when possible.
Dison said the school system desperately needs bus drivers for the 90 routes from one end of the county to the other.
She said everyone who can is helping out now that many bus drivers have retired, even a few teachers and a trainer with vocational training.
“I have to take my route specialist, my route specialist secretary, my technicians and myself. We all have to drive routes,” explained Dison.
Another part of the problem is how quickly the area is growing.
“There are a lot of new people moving to our area, which is great,” Dison said. “We welcome this new growth. We like it, but there are growing pains.”
She said if they could not receive more applications, they may have to consider expanding their operation to include a bus driving route.
Currently, due to a shortage of drivers, an average of 50 to 60 students ride a bus, but if additional routes are established, that number could rise to 70.
“You have to be ready to step in and say, OK, we can add a bus here,” Dison said. “OK, I have the drivers ready. I want to be ready. I want my drivers to be vetted and ready to drive. I want them to be ready so I can put them on a bus.”
Dison said you should just call them, even if you have doubts about whether you are able to do so.
“It’s perfect for you,” explained Dison. “And you’re around a lot of great kids. Are you going to have bad days? Yes, I’d be lying if I said every day was like a box of chocolates. It’s not. Every day is different. You never know what to expect when you come in.”
Dison said that while she is looking for at least seven applications to be a driver, she will accept as many as she can. She advised anyone interested to contact the school system and ask about her.
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