ATLANTA — The Forsyth County School District is offering a new incentive to get, and keep, bus drivers on the road.
The district released a statement saying they're adjusting salaries for bus drivers and bus monitors. The pay increase is set to go into effect on Oct. 1.
It's due to the severe state and nationwide school bus driver shortage, according to the district. The school system said they want to be more competitive in the job market while working to retain employees.
This isn't the first metro Atlanta school district to implement monetary incentives. Districts across the metro have been scrambling since school started to fill bus driver vacancies. Just last week, Cobb County Schools announced all bus drivers and monitors will get a $1,200 retention bonus in their December paycheck.
The school district says they're currently 75 bus drivers short. As a result, other transportation staff have had to fill in the gap, driving daily bus routes.
Additionally, some routes are running behind schedule because of the bus driver shortage, which has caused the school system to result to combine bus routes, they said. It's all in an effort to "provide transportation to all FCS families where needed."
The school district says beginning drivers will have a 6.9% pay increase, from $16.61 to $17.84. Drivers at the top of the pay scale will be moving from $23.97 to $27.99.
For bus monitors, their pay will increase from $14.24 to $15 at 5.5%.
Drivers with the school system will also receive training, full-time benefits, paid sick leave, holidays and weekends off, summer vacation with a paycheck, college opportunities for employee children, and reduced rates for after-school childcare.
The school district says they will also be evaluating the lowest pay bands to be competitive in the job market as part of planning for the the 2022-23 school year operational budget.
You can apply online here.