Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Two U.S. Executive Departments Partner to Address School Bus Driver Shortage

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/10/22

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that it is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to address a labor shortage of school bus drivers. According to a news release, states will have the option to waive the portion of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) test requiring test-takers to identify “under the hood” engine components. Applicants will still have to pass all other parts of the test as it currently stands.

The move is designed to help keep K–12 schools around the country open for in-person, full-time learning amid worker shortages.

“The Administration is listening to the needs of school communities and remains committed to making sure schools are open safety for in-person learning full time,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We’ve heard from educators and parents that labor shortages, particularly of bus drivers, are a roadblock to keeping kids in schools. Today’s announcement will give states the flexibility they need to help increase the pool of drivers, who are a key part of the school community, and get kids to school safely each day where students learn best. And American Rescue Plan funds can be used to hire these critical staff, including offering increased compensation or other incentives to recruit and retain staff.”

The FMCSA waiver became effective on Jan. 3, 2022, and it expires on March 31, 2022. Drivers who earn a CDL underneath the waiver will be allowed to operate only intrastate school buses. They will not be eligible to operate “trucks, motorcoaches, or any other type of commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL,” said the news release.

“This federal waiver will help states that are short on bus drivers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “By allowing states to focus on the testing requirements that are critical to safety, we will get additional, qualified drivers behind the wheel to get kids to school safely.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.