Max tries to find sweet spot on finding bus drivers
By JILL DENNING GACKLE
A few families near Benedict already know there won't be a bus driver pulling into their yards two mornings in April. The reason: no bus driver is available and the Max district has no substitute drivers.
While considering bids on a full-time 47-passenger bus or a mini-bus, Max board members Monday night decided that they need to shore up their lack of bus drivers before purchasing a bus.
The district is in a pinch. They have been advertising for several weeks and had just one inquiry. The ads promised a signing $1,000 bonus, starting pay of $14,000 for the school year and even flexible split route options.
The board voted Monday evening to raise the signing bonus to $1,500 and to continue to try to entice some interest. They considered raising the pay, trying to recruit families about the route, college students to drive and even the idea of paying parents of students on the end of a route to drive students to meet the bus at central location.
