Henry Co. Schools Desperate To Find Bus Drivers

It's not believed to be the pay

Students in Henry County are often getting to school and home later than normal because of a shortage of bus drivers.

The school district, which has more than 2,000 students, has been trying to fill holes in its bus driver schedules for several weeks.

The district has sent notices home the past few week alerting parents of “double routes,” when drivers have to drive two bus routes.

Some students have been late getting to and from school by as much as an hour-and-a-half. But Henry County is not alone. A number of other districts across the commonwealth are facing similar issues.

District officials say they've examined their pay compared to other districts and the compensation doesn't appear to be the problem.  Officials say drivers often leave the job after getting training for a commercial driver's license at the district's expense.

Currently, Henry County employs 20 drivers with five substitutes. With 28 routes, it’s left a hole.