Bus drivers don’t just transport students to school, home and their extracurricular activities.

They can become like family, as drivers get to know students and see them around town.

It’s a job perk that Mexico Public Schools transportation department representatives tout as they seek more bus drivers for the department. On April 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, people interested in learning about bus driving and perhaps becoming a driver for the district may take part in the Test Drive a Bus event at the Mexico High School parking lot.

In a news release, the school district stated that a trained driver will take a lap with people around the MHS parking lot, and participants, whio must have a valid driver’s license, can learn more about driving a bus. The transportation department will offer training to help people earn the required license if they decide to join the Bulldog transportation team. Participants also may fill out an application on the spot.

At the district transportation office, Jennifer Fowler, director of transportation, and Curtis Jackson, former director of transportation and current bus driver trainer, talked about bus driving and its requirements and rewards.

Fowler said going into the next school year, the district is short three to four drivers in the routes, and the department needs four subs in addition to the route drivers. Currently, there are 25 drivers on staff. Finding drivers is an ongoing problem, Fowler said.

“It seems like it’s gotten worse this year,” she said.

Jackson said when voters passed the marijuana law in Missouri, that became an issue for some people.

“Our (commercial drivers) licenses are federal, so you can’t partake of any substances, so drug testing is a problem,” he said.

Plus, random drug testing is performed, Jackson said, and these circumstances can drive away applicants. 

Jackson said the Test Drive a Bus event will help people understand it is not that difficult to drive a bus.

“So, if we can make you feel comfortable in the driver’s seat, and then go over the training that it takes - it takes about three to four weeks to do the training - it’s not that difficult,” Jackson said.

Fowler said the initial fear of driving a bus is what might hold some people back, because they think a bus is too big to drive.

“That was my first fear, and I will use myself as an example. I was his secretary when I first started here,” she said, referring to Jackson. “I came over and I said I will absolutely never drive a bus. Ever. And I said ever, ever, ever. And he bet me a steak that if I could parallel park the bus on my first try, I would have to get my license. So I listened to his directions, word by word, and I paralleled parked the bus my very first time.”
“And I still haven’t gotten the steak,” Jackson said, laughing, adding “that’s OK.” 

Fowler said she got over the fear of the bigness of the bus by just getting in the seat of the bus, and now she is director of the transportation and she can drive a bus anywhere. 

If someone applies, the district will train them to get a Class B CDL with passenger school bus and air brakes. Training is conducted on site, and prospective drivers go to Macon to take their test with the state. Drivers could get all of their training and testing finished in time for summer school or next school year.

Hours vary for drivers. Starting pay is $20.50 an hour for a route driver, and the pay will go up for next school year, Fowler said. Trip pay is $17.50 an hour, and trip pay is anything other than home to school and school to home, such as activity trips.

For people wanting full time work, they can pair their work as a driver with another job in the district to get 40 hours and benefits. For training, hours are flexible, and they can be scheduled around an individual’s current work schedule, Jackson said. 

The bus driver job also can be ideal for parents for various reasons, including how they could take their own child to school and if their children play sports, they can drive their kids to a sporting event. In the driver training program, drivers receive training on student management, and during the school year, safety meetings are held once a month. Drivers must pass a physical before they start in addition to the drug test, and background checks are required. The district will also reimburse drivers for their licenses.

For more information, call Fowler at 573-581-3773, ext. 7413.