Scottsdale Unified to host hiring event for school bus drivers as shortage drags on

The Scottsdale Unified School District is hosting an event this weekend in an effort to recruit more bus drivers.

Interested applicants can test drive a school bus in a parking lot on Saturday.

Applicants are not required to have any previous bus driving experience but must have a safe driving record and five years of regular driving experience.

David Jacobson is the district’s director of transportation. He said once hired, new drivers would have to get a commercial drivers license, or CDL, but all required training is done in-house.

“They would just have to go down and get a permit from the DMV for us to do that training," Jacobson said, "but then we do all the training in-house and that is paid training, so you are getting paid while you are getting trained for your CDL and we also do the testing here on-site.”

This comes amid an ongoing shortage of school bus drivers.

“We had a lot of drivers leave, you know, obviously when we were off for some time there due to COVID and a lot of them didn’t return," Jacobson said. "It’s just been a struggle since then nationwide for schools to find bus drivers.”

The district is also hiring mechanics and bus aides to assist students with getting on and off buses.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 12, at Pima Elementary School on Osborn Road in Scottsdale.