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Despite many school districts around the nation having a shortage of bus drivers, Charlotte County Public Schools (CCPS) is successfully transporting students to and from school without any delays utilizing the 41 drivers it has.

“We have enough drivers to fill our routes,” CCPS Superintendent Robbie Mason said. “But we do not have a large substitute driver pool.”

Mason said the school district is always seeking substitute drivers.

According to the superintendent, there have been no delays in the transportation of students, but CCPS has had to utilize administrators and bus shop employees to drive routes when a regular bus driver is not available.

“COVID quarantines and symptomatic drivers may create huge short-term challenges for us this winter in terms of staffing our buses,” Mason said.

According to the district’s superintendent, finding bus drivers is always difficult because of the difficulty in obtaining the necessary CDL license.

Drivers are compensated with $14,381 starting salary, according to Mason.

Many school districts are struggling with the shortage of bus drivers, resulting in schools closing or asking for help from parents.

In Virginia, the Chesterfield County Public Schools superintendent encouraged parents to transport their children to make up for the shortage.

Cash incentives are also used by other states across the country to motivate potential new bus drivers.

A school district in Montana is offering $4,000 bonuses and allowing people to test drive the buses hoping that they’ll take the job, according to The Associated Press.