School board takes steps to address bus driver shortage

During the regular meeting of the Cumberland County Board of Education, board members approved an agreement with an employment agency to provide temporary bus drivers in hopes of recruiting permanent employees. Shirley Parris of the 3rd District and Rebecca Hamby of the 7th District were the most vocal opponents to the measure, feeling that it would be more productive to focus the additional money on better wages and benefits for existing and potential drivers. Other board members argued that despite many recruitment efforts and incentives, finding and retaining drivers has been difficult. The board voted 5-3 to give the temp solution a try. A budget amendment was also passed in the amount of $10,000 to fund the experiment. The problem of school bus drivers is not just a local issue. Nationwide about two-thirds of all school districts report some level of transportation staffing problem.