“We have a national award winning bus operator, food services department, early childhood education and other nationally recognized educational programs that are going unnoticed and the people are not being adequately compensated for the work they do,” he said. White added it’s a terrible shame because of the dedication to the job and the training West Virginia school service personnel have. “Across the board pay we’re below 25th in the nation and in all of our surrounding states, we’re underpaid compared to all of those surrounding states,” he explained. White said the problem is only going to get worse since the pay for bus drivers, as well as other school service personnel, is not meeting what is necessary. He added substitute drivers are a thing of the past because anybody in that position is now back to full time work. Some bus runs are canceled and others are doubled to try and make up for the lack of drivers. He said it’s not good and in most cases, students are paying the price. We’re doing double routes,” said White in a recent appearance on Talkline.Īccording to White those numbers had been accumulated from a quick text to leaders in five or six West Virginia counties to get a snapshot of the situation. In one county we’ve got mechanics driving three or four days a week. There are 13 positions unfilled in another county. One county is six positions short with no subs. “One county is 15 drivers short and two on long term sick leave. Joe White, Executive Director of the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association said at any given time, the lack of drivers in almost all West Virginia county school systems is glaring. School systems across West Virginia continue to struggle to get bus drivers.
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