Chandler schools raises incentives for bus drivers

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

Chandler Unified’s Governing Board approved, at its March 26 meeting, a new program that it hopes will reduce its shortage of bus drivers.

The board unanimously approved a short-term incentive program called the “Pilot Program to Address Critical Bus Driver Shortage.”

The package includes a list of compensation provisions such as $1,000 new-hire and $1,000 referral bonuses, $1,000 for newly signed drivers and several one-time stipends.

The action included authorization to dip into the district’s one-time unreserved civic center fund balance to find more than $610,000 to pay for the compensation.

Tom Dunn, CUSD’s director of support services, said district staff met with drivers to address ways the district could support drivers better, with compensation rising to the top as an “actionable” means of support.

Dunn said there were about 162 drivers on-staff as of March 26, with about 14 more going through commercial driver’s license training. Full staffing would be closer to 200 drivers, he said.

All the increases will take annual salary for bus drivers to a range from $34,000 to $38,000, depending on the types of routes each driver has.

The pilot program’s effective dates will be March 27, 2025, through May 21, 2026.

The program includes stipends of $500 for driving combined routes five or more times and an annual stipend of $2,000 per year, or $500 per quarter.

There will also be $500 fourth-quarter and annual $2,000 stipends for driving what CUSD calls its five “hard-to-fill” routes. There is also a Journey 2025 Bonus of $600, Journey to Excellence stipend of $1,000 and a $400 wellness incentive.

Drivers will also be able to access professional development for additional compensation and more ways to use paid time off.

The program will also pay all continuing drivers $1,000 if they remain employed as a driver through the end of this school year and were hired by April 1.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.   Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.