Kicking the tires on a career driving school buses

Winnipeg Free Press

a day ago

Summer break may be in full swing, but Manitoba's largest employer of school bus drivers is ramping up recruitment to tackle a chronic workforce shortage.
'This was one of our worst end-of-school years — all the staff that could drive who work in the office had to actually drive every day for a month, month and a half,' said Danielle DesAutels, who manages a bus depot on Archibald Street.
First Student, a multinational transportation contractor that runs school bus routes and charter services, hosted its third Winnipeg open house on Thursday.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
First Student trainer David Nisbet teaching Mike Webster how to operate a school bus during First Student's driver recruitment day, Thursday.
The company's annual recruitment drive began in 2023 in response to growing demand for student transportation and a wave of retirements during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
First Student has more than 400 bus drivers, the majority of whom are semi-retired seniors, on its local roster.
Its Manitoba division needs to hire about 65 extra employees ahead of September to meet the ballooning needs of its clients, DesAutels said.
School boards typically hire First Student to supplement their respective fleets and driver pools, although the francophone school district relies almost entirely on the contractor to transport its students throughout the year.
No matter where someone lives, they don't need to look far if they're interested in a role that can involve bussing 70 young students at a time in stressful traffic situations, said Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association.
'School bus driving is not an easy gig… It is among the most challenging positions in the sector, full stop,' said Campbell, a veteran school trustee whose day job involves transportation logistics.
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He cited the stressful nature of the job, as well as a cost-of-living crisis that has rendered part-time work less desirable, as the major reasons for a 'significant' shortage of drivers that has caused service disruptions.
Boards have rolled out more incentives, such as paid training, to compete with First Student and recruit drivers in recent years, Campbell noted.
First Student offers $22.72, with a guaranteed four hours of payment per shift no matter how long it takes for a route to complete.
Employees are not unionized compared to their counterparts in the Winnipeg School Division and elsewhere.
Just days after the final bell rang, educational assistant Mike Webster showed up to 421 Archibald St. eager to test-drive a yellow bus on the lot.
'It was a lot of fun. It's huge and you've got (seven) mirrors — you can see absolutely everything,' the 52-year-old said.
Webster said he's keen to pad the school day and his paycheque with a gig at First Student in 2025-26.
Another bonus? 'I love kids,' he said, noting he prides himself on spreading positivity and helping students 'have the best day possible' in his existing roles.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
First Student, a multinational transportation contractor that runs school bus routes and charter services, hosted its third Winnipeg open house on Thursday.
The father of two juggles multiple jobs, as a tutor, music teacher and crossing guard. The rising price of his grocery bill — 'both my kids are going through growth spurts' — warrants another, he said.
First Student employees served smokies hot off a barbecue in their parking lot to drum up excitement among potential candidates.
Randine Chomyshen, a trainer, safety officer and assistant manager, said her pitch is that it's a flexible and permanent part-time job that gives people a purpose.
Chomyshen was among the staffers who had to return to the road after spring break due to sick calls and coverage gaps.
'Fourteen years ago, when I started here, this office had 40 LR (Louis Riel School Division) routes. Now we have 74. That's just one example of how much one division has grown,' she recalled.
The Pembina Trails School Division, which relies on its own drivers and contracted employees from First Student, had to adjust start and end times on numerous campuses in September 2023 to double-route buses.
The changes have 'mostly addressed' issues related to the driver shortage and size of its fleet, said Radean Carter, communications officer for the division.
Jodi Ruta — better known as Jodi the Bus Driver to her 150,000 followers on TikTok — applied to be a school bus driver in 2020 to make ends meet when her dog-training business was disrupted during the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
Ruta said what was supposed to be a short-term job at a rural school division turned into a fulfilling career, owing to the students she has met and watched grow up.
'I told them on the last day of school that if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be in this job,' she said, noting that members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha may get a bad wrap, but they teach her something new every day she drives a bus.
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Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.
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