School districts around the state are still hiring for bus drivers in the middle of the school year.
“This is a really important aspect of our educational service ... if our students can’t get to school safely, they aren’t able to get there and learn,” said Amy Bolton, a spokesperson for the Scottsdale Unified School District.
The Scottsdale district has turned to outside contractors to fill some of their special needs bus routes.
District leadership recently approved a $250,000 contract with Desert Breeze Transportation.
Bolton said an estimated 21 students are picked up by Desert Breeze Drivers.
The Arizona Republic reported in September that driver shortages delayed pick-ups in the district.
The district is actively recruiting drivers through job fairs, its website and even through LinkedIn.
“Depending on how successful those recruitment efforts are, we’ll know where we stand for next year,” Bolton said.
There are several requirements to be a driver in the district including an Arizona commercial driver’s license and fingerprint clearance card. The pay starts at $15.36 an hour.
