Today, Governor Josh Stein issued a proclamation recognizing the week of February 10th – February 14th as School Bus Driver Week, recognizing the work they do to get students to school safely and the need to address driver vacancies across the state.
“North Carolina’s bus drivers are a vital engine in our students’ success,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am pleased to dedicate this week to the hardworking bus drivers who, regardless of road or weather conditions, ensure that North Carolina’s students get to school safely. Let us also use this occasion to raise awareness of the need for increased pay and better benefits, so that we can better recruit and retain employees for this critical role.”
“Every child in North Carolina deserves the opportunity to succeed academically, and that includes reliable transportation to and from school. Each day, thousands of students across North Carolina rely on bus drivers to make that happen,” said North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green. “I join Governor Stein in calling for increased pay and respect for our talented bus drivers.”
In 2023, North Carolina school systems reported that about 13 percent of their bus driver positions were vacant. Bus driver vacancies have led to longer commute times, longer walks to bus stops for students, and less reliable schedules. Every day in North Carolina, over 10,000 school buses safely transport more than 620,000 students to and from school.