I have been a Spencerport bus driver for 7 years. As I write this, I have just finished driving home one of our high school sports teams; 30 students through heavy rain, thunder and lightning in the dark. I have often driven our students through snow storms, fog, heavy traffic and more. I’m not complaining. I enjoy this job and the training was good. The thought occurs to me that I know of no other job that has so much personal responsibility for such low pay. While we’re driving in all those conditions, we must also discipline the students who are on the bus. How do you keep 50+ noisy kids under control while trying to make a left turn from a parking lot onto Elmgrove Road during rush hour? And how do you give personal attention to the child who is 8 rows back? Somehow we all manage it, with safety as our first priority. Yet, why isn’t the school district offering us something that shows how much they value us drivers? Our current contract negotiations are being conducted behind closed doors, so I have no idea what the progress is. Meanwhile, other districts are offering incentive pay and significant pay increases. Taxpayers and school board members, how much do you value your bus drivers?
