Pender County Board of Education approves new incentives for bus drivers
BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County Board of Education approved a proposal aimed at stabilizing the district’s transportation system by investing in bus driver incentives at its Committee of the Whole meeting on September 30.
District leaders highlighted ongoing challenges with driver shortages and transportation delays that impact both daily routes and after-school activities.
On an average day, PCS transportation operates without six to eight bus drivers due to resignations and medical absences, compounding a severe nationwide shortage of qualified drivers.
“Our bus drivers are a vital part of the PCS team,” said Pender County Schools Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove. “They are the first face many of our students see each morning, and their work directly supports learning by getting students to school safely and on time. We must take meaningful steps to recruit and retain drivers in order to keep our system strong.”
The approved incentives include:
- 1. Daily Attendance Incentive
- Offer a $5 per run daily attendance incentive to the driver of each yellow school bus.
- Any staff member who drives a bus run will qualify for the $5 per run incentive, regardless of their years of experience, certification level, or position within PCS.
- Example: A driver who completes both an AM and PM run would earn an additional $10 per day.
- Budget Impact: The $5 daily run incentive would be a PCS yearly budgetary item based on the number of established runs. Based on the 2025–26 school year (starting on day one), the cost would be:
- Estimation Formula for PCS: (321 daily runs × $5 per run × 168 school days)
2. Increased Bus Pay for Certified Instructional Staff
- Increase bus driver pay for certified staff by $5 per hour, raising the hourly rate to $27.80 per hour.
- This increase recognizes the added responsibility of certified staff who take on driving duties in addition to their instructional responsibilities.
3. Instructional Assistant (IA) Incentive
- Offer $5 per hour to Instructional Assistants who agree to take on additional bus runs outside of their normal assignment.
- This initiative will require coordination with school-level administration to ensure classroom coverage while IAs are driving.
- This incentive helps balance transportation needs with continued instructional support.
The total cost of the incentive package is projected not to exceed $600,000 annually.
Expected outcomes include improved driver attendance, greater retention of experienced drivers, and stronger recruitment of new staff willing to take on driving responsibilities.
