The newly announced program is one way schools are trying to find more school bus drivers. Could it work in the Hudson Valley?

Many things have suffered since the COVID pandemic started, we've experienced shortages of just about everything at one time or another. Plus, we've seen many employers have a hard time finding people to fill open positions in many fields.

One of those fields that have been hit the hardest in the Hudson Valley is the school bus driving industry. If you drive by most schools in the area, they all have school buses and/or banners hung out front asking if anyone is interested in becoming a bus driver. I've seen buses all over the Wappingers Central School District looking for anyone willing to become a bus driver. I've also noticed a ton of street signs in the Wappingers, Poughkeepsie, and Arlington areas asking anyone interested in becoming a driver or monitor to apply.

The banner and street sign advertising is one way to try and fill some positions but I think that one school in the Albany area has a great idea. I think if a few school districts in the Hudson Valley try, it just might work.

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Test Drive a School Bus

The Ballston Spa Central School District located in Saratoga County, New York has announced that they are hosting a "Come Test Drive a Bus Day" on Saturday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. The district is hoping that giving prospective bus drivers the chance to test drive a bus might give them the extra incentive to sign up. The district is also looking for bus attendants, and substitute drivers according to News 10.

If hired by the district, bus drivers will earn $22.91 an hour, $22.22 per hour for substitute drivers, and $16.37 per hour for bus attendants. Plus paid training, school breaks, holidays, and summers off. If you are in the Ballston Spa area and would like to test drive a school bus, the test drives will happen at the district’s Transportation Facility, located at 1458 Saratoga Road. For more information, you can call the Transportation Department at (518) 884-7140.

If any Hudson Valley school districts did an event like this would you be interested in test driving a school bus? Let us know and maybe we can talk to some of the local schools to try and set something up.

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