In a move to flesh out its ranks of school bus drivers, the District 200 Board of Education Tuesday approved a $500 “signing” bonus to new drivers and a $500 bonus to current drivers who recruit new ones.
New drivers will receive a $250 bonus upon completion of training and another $250 at the end of the current school year. Current drivers will receive the same bonuses for each new driver they recruit into the system.
According to Gene Smith, who heads the district’s transportation department, five applications have been submitted since the concept was first aired during a special board meeting last Tuesday.
Smith said he is short 10 drivers and must use maintenance personnel and dispatchers to fill the gaps. With the addition of five new drivers, “I can put my mechanics back where they belong,” Smith said.
Drivers are paid $9.10 to $14 per hour, Smith said.
New drivers must be trained for about three weeks before being certified to drive regular or standby routes.
