Bus driver responds to pay raise in Pender County

PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT)— School bus drivers in Pender County will receive an increase in starting pay. Leaders hope the raise will help them hire more drivers and retain them.

Pender County Commissioners approved $1.3 million in funding to help address bus driver concerns.

“Transportation has been an issue for quite a while just recruiting enough bus drivers and retaining them is a big factor in improving our transportation system.”

Brad Breedlove, Superintendent of Pender County Schools says he is thankful to commissioners for investing in the school system. He says the money will be put towards immediate use.

He says Pender County is currently 10 bus drivers short. He says the increase in starting pay will help Pender County become more competitive when compared to other school districts.

“Every day we are trying to find subs, and we are asking our drivers to run additional routes. We are running doubles and even triples many times in order to fill all the routes that need to be filled. That’s okay as a band-aid here and there, but you can’t do that over and over, people get burned out,” said Breedlove.

Breedlove noted that bus drivers need more support and training. He also says the district needs to work on school bus discipline.

Lori Kennedy-Stewart, an instructional assistant and bus driver for Pender County Schools says despite the pay, she has always felt supported in her position.

Kennedy-Stewart drives for North Topsail Elementary School, she says her school started implementing incentives on the bus to help with student discipline on the bus. She says the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to driving the bus.

“It is a position that changes every day, it’s never going to be the same. The joy that I feel when the kids get on the bus and the kids get off the bus, it brings me so much joy.”

She said she hopes other schools will see the same success when working on the issue of bus discipline. She noted that bus drivers play a key role in kid’s lives. She says it’s a position she loves and will not take for granted.

“I think that everyone is going to enjoy getting a little extra pay, I don’t think anyone is going to turn that down. I think in general anyone can apply for a job, and work a job but I think you have to have a desire to want to see a connection in your community to want to see changes and progress in your community, you have to have a love for what you do,” said Kennedy-Stewart.

Here is a list of starting pay for bus drivers:

• Pender County: $16.26 increased to $17.75
• Brunswick County: $17.51
• New Hanover County: $18.87
• Columbus County: $17.60
• Bladen County: $15.00
• Duplin County: $16.50
• Sampson: $17.06
• Onslow: $16.96