Cibola High School students go to the buses after school in August. (Roberto E. Rosales / Journal)
Copyright © 2021
Albuquerque Public Schools bus drivers will soon receive a raise as the county seeks to retain and attract drivers in the face of a shortage.
The wage increases, approved by the Education Committee on Wednesday, add $ 1 an hour to bus drivers’ salaries, bringing the minimum wage to $ 18. Hiring bonuses for new bus drivers and hiring referral bonuses were also approved at the meeting.
The incentives will give new bus drivers $ 1,000 over the course of a year and current bus drivers will receive $ 500 for each recommendation posted.
The wage increase and the hiring incentive come because the school district is facing a massive staff shortage in all jobs, with bus drivers being particularly in demand.
According to an online APS job posting list, the district has 730 active job postings.
Royce Binns, executive director of transportation, told the board on Wednesday that the district is currently 70 drivers short, with no replacement drivers.
This means that thousands of students are not transported to school as they would in normal years, Binns said.
APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said around 5,600 students will not be able to take a bus to school due to route cuts, with the West Side being hardest hit.
During a public comment, bus driver Reuben Apodaca said that bus drivers, dispatchers, training staff and workshop technicians have to cover bus routes almost every day.
“When they signed up for these staff positions, it was clear to them that they would probably be called up, but that happens almost every day and of course that leaves us bus drivers without anyone on the farm.” To support us because they are all on the road “, he said.
Armenta said about 40% of the routes will either be doubled or tripled, resulting in longer bus travel times for students.
“It goes without saying that it will take longer to get to school now,” she said.
Binns said the district has long struggled with bottlenecks, but the current shortage could have an impact in the coming winter months if drivers are more likely to call as there are no drivers available to cover them.
Binns said the raise and scholarship is an attempt to attract and retain more drivers while drivers can earn more by working for private companies or city government.
“At the moment we don’t see anyone applying or even having an interest in it,” he said. “So we hope that the increase and (the scholarships) … get some motivation for our department.”
Binns said the increase is only the first step and the hourly wage for bus drivers should be increased to $ 20 to stay competitive.
Comments are closed.