Anita Campbell
County Reporter
School has been in session for several weeks, however, county superintendents are still looking for qualified bus drivers and substitute drivers to get the children to school.
“We are still accepting applications for bus drivers,” said Warsaw R-9 Superintendent Scott Gemes. “We still have a need for one full time driver and of course we are always looking for substitute drivers.”
According to Gemes, a school bus driver must have a CDL as well as bus endorsement and passenger endorsement. A driver must go through 20 hours of training which is paid for by the school district.
Warsaw bus drivers start out making $25.70 per hour, three hours day for most routes. Substitute bus driver pay is $40 per route and trips are $15 per hour. Drivers have a full benefit package which includes health insurance.
Warsaw driver J. D. Findley has driven for Warsaw for 45 years. “I just keep on going,” said Findley. “I love the kids.”
In Missouri, all school bus drivers must be a minimum age of twenty-one. All school bus drivers must receive an annual physical examination and a driver who is over 70 years of age must renew their driver’s license annually and are required to submit proof of a school bus skills test to retain the "S" endorsement on their driver license at the time of renewal.
All school bus drivers must receive eight hours of documented training on an annual basis and all school bus drivers must participate in a drug and alcohol testing program.
Other Employees Who Transport in Non-School Buses— (Vehicles which have an occupancy rating of 10 or less)
All other school employees who are required to transport students as part of their employment on a routine basis must possess a Class E license with the “S” endorsement.
Non-School Bus Drivers—
These drivers must receive eight hours of documented training on an annual basis.
These drivers must receive an annual physical examination by anyone licensed in Missouri to perform physical examinations.
This does not apply to school district staff that transport students on an emergency or incidental basis. Incidental is interpreted as transporting students in an unexpected one time per year basis.
Any driver who possesses an out of state license can only transport students if their state will issue a Class E license with an “S” endorsement.
At Lincoln, Superintendent Kevin Smith said that all bus driving positions were full.
“All our full time positions are filled and we also have a full time substitute driver lined up when we need him,” said Smith.
Bus driver pay at Lincoln is $17.67 an hour for four hours a day. Pay for trip driver is $13 per hour and bus drivers have a full benefit package including health insurance.
Cole Camp Superintendent Christina Hess said that the Cole Camp district was fully staffed with bus drivers but that she was always taking applications for substitute drivers.
Cole Camp has eight full time drivers as well as a transportation director who also drives. Pay for Cole Camp bus drivers is $77 a day for four hours as well as health insurance for drivers.
So slow down when you see that big yellow school bus and observe the rules for stopping and watching for children.
