Local School Districts Face School Bus Driver Shortage For Coming School Year

ALLEGHENY COUNTY (KDKA) -- When schools open next month, it takes more than teachers to kick off the year.

Schools need bus drivers, and there's a shortage.

"It's a national thing, but in this area talking to other school districts and local school bus contractors, it's an issue county-wide, state-wide," Roger Botti told KDKA money editor Jon Delano.

Botti is transportation director for the North Allegheny School District which owns and operates nearly one hundred buses.

"It has gotten worse. We've had more and more challenges getting drivers to come in. Actually even getting people to come in the door to even learn about school bus driving has been a challenge for us."

Botti has posted lawn signs to attract interest, and North Allegheny is hardly alone.

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TV Ad: "Local school bus companies ABC Transit and Valley Lines are seeking bus drivers in the Seneca Valley School District."

That television ad is running right now.

"We're trying to bring in drivers every day," says Todd O'Shell of ABC Transit.

ABC Transit along with Valley Lines serves Seneca Valley.

O'Shell says driving a bus pays better than ever.

"We want anyone that is a good driver, anyone that loves kids, loves to operate equipment, that is a safe driver, that provides a sense of stability on the road, and shows up to work every day."

O'Shell says they'll pay for the training, background checks, and everything required to get licensed, and he wants to dispel negative stereotypes about driving a school bus.

One concern of prospective school bus drivers are unruly kids.

How can you drive a bus when kids are out of order?

Well, school bus owners say that's really not much of a problem. And just in case, there are lots of cameras on the bus to protect the drivers and so that they can do what they are supposed to do -- which is to drive the bus.

Kevin Pryor has been driving a bus 41 years -- first moonlighting while a steelworker -- now as a retiree.

"I've never had any trouble with the kids," says Pryor. "You have to find, what shall I say, you have to find the line."

And he says it's a great job for anyone.