WISCONSIN — A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum showed the number of licensed bus drivers around Wisconsin has dropped 17.7% over the last 15 years. This has created numerous problems for school districts around the state and the families they serve.

The problem might grow, as the report showed one-fifth of the licensed bus drivers in the state are 65 years or older. Transit bus systems are also facing a similar problem as the number of people licensed to drive passenger buses only has also dropped 19.6% over the last 15 years as well. 

School districts are struggling to hire enough bus drivers to drive children to school, with some districts potentially having to recruit school board members as potential drivers. 

Transit systems are facing similar pressures, and with a shortage of drivers, some are seeing rising costs and more crowded bus routes. 

The shortages have made it harder for schools to get students to class on time, especially in a time of increasing chronic absenteeism in Wisconsin, making it more stressful for working parents, who might have to drive their kids to school or find them another ride. 

Losing drivers has also put pressure on the transit system budgets, affecting transit-dependent workers. 

With data from the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), researchers found the shortages appear to be tied with a drop of licensed drivers since 2007. The number of licensed school bus drivers dropped by 3,062 drivers (17.7%), and the number of drivers licensed to drive passenger only vehicles dropping by 4,952 drivers (19.6%).

In the state of Wisconsin, school bus drivers can drive passenger only buses, but passenger only licensed drivers cannot operate school buses. While the data is split, some of the licensed school bus drivers can also be employed as passenger only bus drivers. 

Districts have reported serious delays with students being collected after school has already started, as well as the stress the shortage has created for parents and students. Transit systems, such as Madison Metro Transit, have reported that they have had to work to hire enough drivers for their system.

Data suggests that school bus drivers are being stretched out thinner than passenger bus drivers. The number of private and public school students per school bus driver has increased from 59.5 in 2007 to 68.5 in 2022, whereas the hours of service per licensed passenger only bus driver were higher in 2012 than they were in 2022.

The report showed that the metrics were, at best, a limited tool for determining the true demand for bus drivers because they are a ratio of potential needs divided by total possible drivers — not an estimated number of students per bus or the number of hours per passenger bus driver.  

The report noted that not every licensed school bus driver may be actively driving buses, or that changes in statewide enrollment might not capture a district’s genuine need for drivers. A drop in enrollment in rural districts might not show the total number of miles needed to collect students or the fact that some routes have school buses at capacity. 

Another trend emphasized was large school districts moving to private firms for student transportation. According to the state’s school district employee staff file, in 2017, 267 districts had employed 4,542 drivers, but by 2023 that number dropped to 219 districts employing 2,955 drivers. This decline showed the possibility of the shift to private vendors. While researchers said it is not the likely cause of the shortage, it potentially makes it harder for school districts to track how many drivers are actually available. 

While the decline of passenger bus drivers has been bigger in the number of drivers than of school bus drivers, the demand for this type of driver has decreased, resulting in a less dire shortage for transit agencies. 

The Milwaukee County Transit System’s paratransit provider has seen an acute driver shortage because those drivers do not need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), making hiring more difficult.

The process of getting a bus driver’s license is long and expensive, and the requirements make it difficult to increase the number of drivers. Drivers must have a CDL that lets them operate heavy machinery before they can get either license. Training and testing cover learning how to operate a large vehicle, while also coming with a heavy medical examination. After completing the CDL, drivers can get two types of licenses. A “S” endorsement allows to them to operate a school bus, whereas a “P” endorsement allows them to operate a bus with 16 or more passengers, but not a school bus. Holders of either license also allows them to drive a CDL vehicle such as a semi-truck. 

Other requirements include bus-specific tests and other examinations, such as a criminal background check; certain convictions, such as those affecting children, permanently disqualify an applicant. To maintain a CDL, drivers must go through tests and license renewals, which usually happen every eight years. Drivers also must go through medical examinations. Those under 70 must get examinations every two years and those 70 and older must have one every year. 

DMV officials said that the time to get certified relies on the applicant’s motivation and time they dedicate to training. Some training courses for the written exam take 12 weeks to complete, but others take three. Transit services, such as  Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), might offer in-house training and testing, which has helped the system avoid shortages.

Another concern is the age of the bus drivers. The average of school and passenger bus drivers has increased three years since 2007. The report found that 22.8% of school bus license holders and 25.4% of those with passenger bus licenses only are at least 65 years old. 

Both the school districts and transit systems are hiring from a smaller, older pool of bus drivers and the shortage will continue to affect schools, students and businesses, and efforts to produce more drivers may be challenging. The report suggested increasing salaries could help but would affect districts and transit systems that have smaller budgets. Reducing training and requirements is another idea, but because of the responsibility of driving buses full of school children and other passengers, that might not be possible.

Some school districts have attempted to help with the shortage by having parents arrange transportation, but the effectiveness of that has been mixed. Other ideas include school districts, transit systems and bus contractors building on the existing partnerships to share assets and drivers more efficiently. 

The shortage of bus drivers adds to the list of problems for school districts that already include problems recruiting teachers, that could lead to other levels of government needed to solve the issue. 

Read the full report below: