Bus driver roundup slated for July 27
By Angie Landsverk
The Weyauwega-Fremont School District is holding a bus driver roundup from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the bus garage.
“It’s geared toward anyone,” said Don Lederhaus. “We will have hamburgers and brats for the people who participate.”
Lederhaus is the district’s transportation supervisor and safety coordinator.
The district has 10 bus routes.
“Ten go out in the a.m., and 10 go out in the p.m.,” he said.
He said bus drivers are considered regular, part-time school-term employees of the district.
The starting wage is $18.50 per hour, and drivers are guaranteed 90 minutes per route.
“So if they do an a.m. and a p.m., they are guaranteed three hours. Some routes may be a little longer,” Lederhaus said.
He said drivers are paid for three holidays and also receive 24 hours of paid time off, long-term disability and life insurance.
The district covers the cost of training for new drivers, as well as the cost for the test and physical.
The 2019-20 school year begins on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
The district’s current pool of drivers includes subs, the district’s mechanic and Lederhaus.
“Three of those subs did not drive for us this year,” Lederhaus said. “One sub only drove one day per week.”
Bus driver shortage
When the district is short of drivers, Lederhaus and the mechanic take routes.
That happened throughout the past school year.
The district began the 2018-19 school year two drivers short.
By early January, it was down three drivers.
“A shortage comes when we don’t have enough drivers and then we have afternoon trips that leave before the end of the school day,” Lederhaus said.
For example, the spring sport season adds an extra three buses on some days, he said.
Spring field trips also increase the need for buses and drivers.
Due to a shortage of drivers last school year, there were times the district compressed bus routes in the afternoon.
“There were no other options,” Lederhaus said.
He is seeking bus drivers in a variety of ways.
That includes advertising and moving a bus to locations throughout the district.
In addition to this month’s bus driver roundup, Lederhaus also plans presentations during the upcoming open houses.
The bus garage is part of the district’s Weyauwega campus, on East Ann Street.
Lederhaus may be reached there at 920-867-8943.