Osceola County schools hiring bus drivers to address shortage

OSCEOLA,COUNTY, Fla. - The Osceola County School District has a shortage of bus drivers, meaning drivers are doubling up on work and kids are getting to school late.

On Tuesday, the district held a job fair hoping to fill some of those vacancies. 

A total of 12 applicants applied at the job fair. 

This is the second hiring spree in three weeks. Many school bus drivers are having to pick up the 26 routes that do not have permanent drivers. In Osceola County, school buses transport around 23,000 students each day. 

With the current driver shortage, officials say that puts between 8,000 and 9,000 students on different buses to make it all work.  

The district says it takes several weeks before a driver is cleared to work, so they’re hoping to hire more drivers soon to reduce crowding on buses, limit extra pick-ups for drivers and shorten the waits at bus stops. 

The job pays $13.85 an hour and offers benefits like a retirement plan and health insurance. Officials say the biggest perk for school bus drivers is they don’t work nights or weekends and get most major holidays off just like the students. 

If interested you can apply at 401 Simpson Road in Kissimmee anytime during business hours. 

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