Driver dilemma: Seward Public Schools facing ‘crisis looking for bus drivers’

SEWARD, Neb. (KLKN) – A shortage in bus drivers has been a problem for many school districts across Nebraska.

The superintendent of Seward Public Schools said the district is in a “crisis looking for bus drivers.”

“Our bus drivers have a strong impact,” Josh Fields said. “They are the first ones to see them each morning they are also typically the last ones to see them at the end of the day.”

The district currently has 11 drivers that take about 350 to 500 students to and from school every day, and it has another group who drives students to activities.

But with not enough drivers and some of them expected to leave in the coming weeks, others from the district have to fill in.

“Maybe we have a couple teachers that are bus drivers.” he said, “How does that impact other areas as far as teaching and learning even?”

Fields said the district is trying to fill those positions as best as it can, but it’s having problems keeping up.

“It is getting tougher, so there are some times we’ve had to consolidate a few things, or we’ve had to maybe take a van instead of a bus we were going to take.”

Seward public school bus drivers make up to $50 per route, and those who drive kids to activities like games or field trips make about $20 an hour.

Fields said there’s a chance for new bus drivers to make some extra cash through incentives.

“We offer $1000 for first time drivers and if you stay on with us, we’ll give you $1000 per semester,” he said. “Then we also just pay an incentive of $500 extra up on top of what we already pay if your a sub bus driver.”

He said anyone interested in having an impact on kid’s lives should apply for the job.

The link to apply can be found on Seward Public School’s website.