NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – First Student offers potential bus drivers opportunities to get needed driving certifications without an appointment.
School districts across the country face bus driver shortages affecting bus routes and bell times. The National Education Association states driver employment is below pre-pandemic levels with an estimated 192,400 drivers across the county. That number shows drivers are down 15% as of September 2023 compared to 2019.
Charleston County School District serves nearly 19,000 students with over five thousand stops during the school year. District officials say the county needs nearly 440 bus drivers to be fully staffed ahead of the 2024-2025 school year.
Bus transportation provider service, First Student provides drivers to districts across the country. The North Charleston branch services Charleston County schools with drivers throughout the year. The service provider offers ‘Walk-in Wednesday’ as an opportunity for potential drivers to get on-the-spot interviews ahead of certification training with no appointment needed.
Potential drivers need a commercial driver’s license and state certification to transport students. Driver and First Student brand ambassador Vanessa Bradhams went through the training session three years ago.
“You do go through state,” Bradhams says. “That is one week and then once you go through that process of the state certification class, we give you the opportunity to go get your CDL permit. Now that is up to you but I will say that it only takes about two to three days to get that. Once you finish that process then you are fully trained and that takes about two to three weeks.”
Transportation provider officials say the program trains about 40 to 60 new drivers a month. Bradhams recommends becoming a bus driver as it gives her benefits like a flexible yearly schedule.
“I would be on the school schedules so me being a single mom, I would have that free time with my kids,” Bradhams says. “So like when they’re out of school, I’m out of school. When they’re out for holidays, I can spend that time with them for the holidays, so it definitely was the flexibility.”
The program is looking for hardworking drivers that will work great with the students. Interested drivers can visit the facility at 4000 Faber Place Suite 200 for the on-the-spot interviews from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday. Anyone unable to make the weekly event can apply here .
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