
WILLIAMSBURG/JAMES CITY COUNTY — The Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) School Board approved the authorization of a $3 per hour salary increase for bus drivers at its Tuesday, Jan. 21 meeting.
The Superintendent recommended that the school board approve the proposal for a $3 per hour salary increase for bus drivers, effective Jan. 1.
According to the school board, the shortage of drivers, both nationally and locally, has presented a major challenge to the school division this year, noting arrival and dismissal times have been impacted by the shortage and that the school division has also contracted with a third-party vendor to provide specialized transportation services.
Prior to the meeting, Andrew Cason, Treasurer of the Williamsburg-James City County Education Association, posted to several Facebook groups noting “37 vacant bus driver positions. Busses are filled to the max. Drivers work from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Behavior on the bus can spiral out of control. And we parents are left frustrated that transportation to school is unreliable.”
The posts urged parents to “come out to the school board meeting this Tuesday and voice your support for not only our bus drivers, but also our teacher assistants, custodians, cafeteria workers and teachers.”
Amy Quark, team member at The Village, noted the impact that the lack of bus drivers has had on after-school programs, saying 30 students had to drop out of the School Health Initiative Program (SHIP) due to the lack of transportation.
“This is a serious equity issue,” she said. “Those are the students that rely on transportation and benefit the most from having freely available enrichment activities after school. So I strongly encourage you to make us the best, the most competitive and most attractive place for our staff to work.”
Jessica Anderson, speaking in her role as wellness coordinator at Mathew Whaley Elementary School, verified Quark’s numbers.
“It’s the program, the Student Health Initiative Program, that is dedicated to our students who are more vulnerable and typically less fortunate, students that do not have access to these recreational activities outside of our school system, and we had to turn away. And that’s really disheartening,” she said, adding that her daughter was one of only six students who were accepted into the CNA program because of transportation issues.
The board noted in its agenda that a comparison of driver salaries across the region showed that WJCC Schools had the lowest starting pay when compared with its nearest competitors, and several speakers expressed fears that harmed staff retention.
The adjustment, which puts starting pay at $20.76 per hour, moved the division to near the top at an estimated cost of $172,000, according to officials.
The board voted unanimously to approve the authorization.
Test Drive a Bus Event
Those interested in finding out what’s it like behind the wheel of a school bus can come out to an event Monday, Jan. 27, at Warhill High School to test drive a bus between 8 a.m. and noon.
To take part, fill out an online form and a member of the Transportation Team will reach out to verify possession of a valid drivers license and eligibility to test drive the bus in the Warhill High School parking lot.
Participants who are interested can apply and interview on-site to be a WJCC Schools bus driver.