Agenda Item
Meeting Date:
8/12/2022 - 7:00 PM  
Category:
Facilities and Operations  
Type:
Info  
Subject:
Recruitment and Retention of Bus Drivers  
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 1: Systemic Alignment
ACPS will build a culture of continuous improvement and design equitable systems for school and instructional improvement.
Goal 2: Instructional Excellence
ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction.
Goal 3: Student Accessibility and Support
ACPS will ensure students have equitable access to and engagement with programs and supports that reduce barriers to learning.
Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation
ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments.
Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement
ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
 
Policy:
EEAB - School Bus Scheduling and Routing  
Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable):
 
File Attachment:
220812_Board_Brief_Recuitment_and_Retention_Bus_Drivers_v2.pdf
 
Agenda Item Summary:
The Department of Facilities and Operations, Office of Pupil Transportation and Fleet Management, has been working with Human Resources on innovative ways to recruit and retain qualified bus drivers. These efforts have included:

A recruitment open house held on May 7, 2022
“Now Hiring” banners affixed on school property around the city
“Now Hiring” banner on ACPS website (main page)
Advertisements posted with our city recreation partners
Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin social media posts and
A recruiting collaboration with the workforce development center

Current Staffing and Potential Impacts for Start of Year
At this time, we have 87 FTE bus drivers (83% fill rate). For our route planning purposes, we consider this to be a critical shortage of drivers. A “critical shortage” means there are more bus routes than available bus drivers to efficiently transport students to and from school daily without having to complete multiple runs. Given this, we will likely start the year with multiple bus runs (double back) for certain bus routes. As driver vacancies are filled, routes will be updated and multiple runs eliminated. Our office is working with Communications to ensure this is proactively communicated to families, to include a request to drive students to schools as possible and promoting bike riding to schools (where safe to do so).

Additional Context
Bus driver shortages are not unique to ACPS. Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a national bus driver shortage that has required many school districts to make significant adjustments to minimize or remedy the impacts created from a shortage of drivers. We have and continue to meet with the Human Resources and Financial Services departments to determine solutions to this issue, to include robust recruitment strategies and financial incentives for new and existing bus driver staff.		  
Background:
The Office of Pupil Transportation and Fleet Management plans the transportation for 11,000 students each day who are eligible for transportation. The Office collects and reconciles data as it relates to actual student ridership and available capacity on ACPS buses.  
Recommendation
The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review the status update on bus driver staffing and next steps.  
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Dr. Alicia Hart - Executive Director of Facilities and Operations
Signed By:  
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent