Today, Baltimore County announced a series of hiring and retention incentives for school bus drivers as the county continues to face a shortage.
County Executive Johnny Olszewski, along with Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams and Board Chair Makeda Scott, announced the incentives at a press conference early this morning.
Hiring incentives include the County picking up the cost of background checks, fingerprinting, and pre-employment physicals for applicants for bus driver positions. Current bus drivers will also receive raises, including a $2 shift differential for taking on additional shifts, and $1,000 bonuses in December and January.
The announcements come as Baltimore County and the rest of Maryland continue to experience challenges in hiring and retaining school bus drivers. Just last week, Anne Arundel County announced a series of similar financial incentives for hiring and retaining school bus drivers, and later this week, a joint legislative committee will take up the issue in a hearing.
Prior Conduit Street coverage on the school bus driver shortage:
