Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) will host a Transportation Job Fair on Monday and are looking to hire at least 50 drivers.
There are currently at least eight daily bus routes that need drivers.
“The issues we are having are students are not able to be picked up on time, buses arrive late to stops or don’t show up,” said Tonya Nunn, an ACPS Marketing, Recruitment, and Retention Specialist, in a phone interview. “We have many bus drivers retiring, so quite a few issues have risen due to the lack of not having drivers.”
The job fair will be held from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the district office at 620 E. University Ave. in Gainesville. Interviews will be conducted, and jobs will be offered on the spot. No registration is required.
“We are in desperate need of bus drivers,” said Nunn. “We know a good driver is hard to find, and it is difficult to part with, but it’s impossible to forget. We’re pushing to encourage our community to come out because we need hard, compassionate workers, safe driving, caring people, and employees that don’t mind getting up early in the morning.”
No prior experience is necessary to become a bus driver. The starting pay is $17.37 per hour plus benefits that include free health insurance, and applicants will be paid while they get their CDL training.
More pay is available for drivers who work additional time, including summer hours.
To qualify for a driver position, an applicant must be 21 years of age or older, hold a valid driver’s license, have a safe driving record, and pass a background and drug test.
“School bus drivers are important because the students are the priority, and we know if we have more, then the students can get to school safely, be successful in the classroom, and have a productive day,” said Nunn.
ACPS struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic with driver shortages and long bus delay times.
The ACPS Transportation Department is also recruiting other bus paraprofessionals, mechanics, and other positions.
For more information, call (352) 955-7039.