Districts looking for school bus drivers as start of school looms

School will be starting soon and districts across the metro are still scrambling to hire enough drivers to get students to class.

"We need more bus drivers, not just in Anoka-Hennepin, but every place needs more bus drivers," said Keith Paulson, transportation director for Anoka-Hennepin Schools.

Monday afternoon, the district held its first-ever hiring event. They’ve also been advertising on the radio, on social media and even going to parades and county fairs.

Paulson says the pandemic has made filling positions more difficult. One reason: Many districts rely on retirees to fill their positions, and COVID-19 has scared many of them away.

"Some of the population was susceptible to COVID-19, so they just weren’t able to drive," Paulson said. "Bus companies had to backfill. Also, some of our schedules have been start-and-stop, so that’s a challenge. People are wondering if the hours will be there."

It’s the same across the metro. Minneapolis Public Schools is advertising a $3,000 hiring bonus for bus drivers. Across the river at St. Paul Public Schools, a district spokesperson says they have 270 routes and are still looking for 40-50 more drivers.