Pajaro Valley Unified School District offers free training during bus driver shortage
UPDATE 12/11/18 5:00 p.m. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is experiencing an extreme bus driver shortage.
To help encourage more people to become drivers, the district is offering free classroom training.
The training normally costs around $3,000.
The next scheduled class training sessions are December 21st, 22nd and 23rd at the PVUSD Transportation Office 196 Grimmer Road, Watsonville.
The district adds, “once classes are complete, part of the certification process includes Behind the Wheel training; PVUSD is honored to offer a stipend for qualifying individuals to complete this portion of the test. Upon completion of the bus driver certification classes and process, you are invited to apply for a bus driver position and join our team; visit and apply at www.pvusd.net/pvusdedjoin.”
Right now the district has about 60 drivers and is looking to fill 20 positions.
Hector Perez says he’s been with the district for 15 years and this is the biggest shortage he’s seen, “it impacts the students some of them not getting to school on time. Also the parents, a lot of parents are working so they are on a tight schedule. With that shortage it does affect also the bus drivers as well having to double up on routes.”
He says while the training can be lengthy and expensive, it is well worth it, “it’s getting to know the kids, I have been able to see some kids start as kindergartners and all the way up to graduating seniors from high school. So watching them grow up has been a really nice experience for me,” says Perez.
For more information you can contact Perez at the Transportation Office 831 728-6400
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The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is experiencing an extreme bus driver shortage.
To help encourage more people to become drivers, the district is offering free classroom training.
The training normally costs around $3,000.
KION’S Ashley Keehn will have more on the shortage and what the district is doing tonight at 5 p.m. & 6 p.m.
