Saline Area Schools is looking for help

Saline Area Schools (SAS), like many school districts, are dealing with transportation challenges.

SAS has been able to get by, but the district is looking for help as the challenges continue, and might even get harder.

The Sun Times News (STN) connected with Tracey Mulcare, Transportation Manager for SAS, to talk about the challenges, issues and how they are working to address them.

Mulcare said SAS has been experiencing driver shortages for three plus years “and the trend is not improving.”

“Currently, we have six bus routes without a permanent driver,” said Mulcare. “We are very fortunate to have enough other licensed staff and substitute drivers, but still can only cover our routes with very little ability to provide field trips and athletic trips that happen during our bus route times.”

Come next school year, SAS expects to have a minimum of seven open bus routes, so they need drivers for the beginning of the 2023/24 school year.

The district has been and is doing a variety of things to attract help.

Starting with, SAS uses Indeed, social media, and a bus with a banner to advertise the need for new drivers. They are offering incentives, such as a $750 sign-on bonus for drivers who hire in with their CDL license and a $500 referral bonus to current staff that refer a new driver to the district.

With the staff, Mulcare said they are also “working with current and new employees who desire more hours than a bus driver may work.”

“Many of our drivers work another position in the district, as custodians, food service workers, or grounds crew,” said Mulcare.

One unique and new thing coming up is the “Summer Driving Academy.” SAS will be providing two sessions of its first ever summer driving academy. The first will begin in June and finish up in mid-July. The second begins in July and finishes in mid-August.

Mulcare said, “Our goal is to get multiple candidates trained and ready to begin driving for the first day of school on August 28, 2023.”

STN asked what the community should know about this situation.

“Saline Area Schools transportation department is unable to provide the level of service that our community has grown accustomed to, and we want to get the message out in hopes of finding individuals that can help,” said Mulcare. “Our ideal candidate lives in the community and wants to make a difference in the lives of our students. Bus driving pairs well for parents of students, as they would follow the school calendar and can bring their school-aged children on the bus with them.”

To learn more or to reach out to offer help, go to https://www.salineschools.org/departments/operations/transportation/