“We are looking for as many school bus drivers as we can get,” said Cheryl Brown, Safety Director at Kottkes’ Bus Service in Andover. “I mean if we had 10 school bus drivers walk in the door, we’d hire them.”
COVID concerns have thinned the ranks. At Kottkes’, many drivers have left since the pandemic started.
“A lot of the drivers have family situations where they cannot be exposed and they’re worried about their loved ones. There’s a lot of drivers who have decided to hold off until they can get the vaccine.”
Brown hopes that’s soon. She says school bus drivers are in the next group for the vaccine. Right now, the job is still getting done with the help of shop technicians and office staff who are licensed to drive.
Brown says it’s a good part time job. Drivers can pick their hours, morning or afternoon. They don’t have to work weekends. And they can work anywhere from three to six hours a day.
“We’re down a lot of drivers, we need drivers to get these kids back in the swing of going to school,” said Brown.
Starting pay at Kottkes’ is $17.80 an hour.
