CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) — The public school system in Chesterfield County is the latest to offer pay raises and bonuses in an effort to address a nationwide shortage of bus drivers.
WRIC reported Monday that the school district outside Richmond will boost pay by $3 an hour to $20.21 an hour. It’s also offering a $3,000 bonus that will be paid in increments.
The original signing bonus was $1,000. Schools across the U.S. are increasing pay and offering hiring bonuses to attract more drivers. The shortfall isn’t new. But it's being made worse by labor shortages across many sectors of the economy as well as the coronavirus pandemic’s lingering effects.
Many school bus drivers are over the age of 65. And they're more vulnerable to the virus.
