A new, flexible driver supply for school transportation

While technology has been integrated into student transportation practices in certain ways, the modes and methods of transport have not been adequately modified to address the varied and widespread needs of students today. Regulatory limitations and industry resistance to change have, in many ways, stopped the evolution of school transportation in its tracks.

A fixed-route, yellow bus transportation model worked well when every kid in the neighborhood went to the same school. But that is no longer the case. This old way of doing things is not working anymore because it is not aligned with the modern-day educational landscape. All students — including those with IEPs or special needs, those who live in geographically isolated areas, and those in foster care or experiencing homelessless — need a reliable and easy way to get to and from school and other activities, safely and on time.

When schools use the traditional yellow bus model to try to meet these types of individualized transportation needs, the inefficient result is that many school buses are utilized when they are only half-full or, at times, nearly empty. Another unfortunate side effect of this mismatch between student needs and available resources is an overall decline in school bus ridership, as many parents and caregivers are left with no choice but to provide transportation for their children themselves.

Employment trends have impacted school transportation

The employment landscape in the United States is always changing, and it, too, has changed drastically over the last few decades. Perhaps one of the biggest developments has been the shift towards independent and gig economy work, which provides the highly desirable perk of being able to set your own schedule and perform the responsibilities of your job where, when and how you want to. Even before the pandemic hit it was estimated that by 2023, 52% of the workforce will have worked or will be working independently, according to Forbes. 

Meanwhile, the typical school bus driver job has not changed at all — which is one of many things feeding into the ongoing school bus driver shortage. Those who choose to drive a school bus have been forced to accept a rigid, split-shift schedule; low wages and relatively flat wage growth; a lengthy certification process to become a driver; and a high bar in terms of performance expectations given all of the responsibilities that come with supervising dozens of students while operating a commercial vehicle. 

And the pandemic, of course, has only complicated things. COVID-related school shutdowns and layoffs left many school bus drivers out of work. Those who remained on the job have faced increased health and safety risks while taking on even more responsibilities — such as cleaning procedures and social distancing or mask wearing enforcement.

The unavoidable result is that fewer and fewer people are interested in being a school bus driver. And existing school bus drivers — as well as anyone else who goes through the time-consuming process of getting their CDL — are realizing they can make more money, and have a better work experience overall, by working as a driver in another industry.