Back to School: Lee County still short 139 bus drivers. What parents, students need to know

School starts Aug. 10 for the Lee County School District and 139 bus drivers are still needed to operate the district's bus routes.

In fact, since the district updated the public in July, they are down five bus drivers, according to Roger Lloyd, executive director of transportation for the district.

"We have hired a handful but we've also lost a handful of drivers," Lloyd said. "We are continuing like we have been for the last two years to try to get drivers in and we will continue to do so."

In July, Lloyd said the district needed 69 drivers to fill all of its routes. Now, he said 139 drivers are needed.

Back to School countdown: Is there a bus driver shortage in Lee County? Yes

Read More: Foundation for Lee County Schools needs mentors for student guidance programs

"The reality is, buses are going to be late this fall," Lloyd said.

Here's what you need to know about buses this year:

The Lee County School District is in need of 139 bus drivers for the 2022-23 school year.
The Lee County School District is in need of 139 bus drivers for the 2022-23 school year.

How many bus drivers does the Lee County School District have?

As of Aug. 1, the district had 590 drivers. In July, it had 595.

How many bus routes are there this year?

There will be 729 bus routes, up from the 664 Lloyd said they had planned in July.

"We transport nearly 50,000 kids in the morning and in the afternoon," Lloyd said. "So 729 is what we need to efficiently get those kids to and from school on time."

Why are bus drivers leaving?

Drivers are leaving the Lee County School District for higher paying jobs and year-round jobs, according to Lloyd. Bus drivers for the district only work 180 days out of the year, while companies like WastePro, LeeTran, construction companies and dump truck drivers work year-round for higher pay.

How much do bus drivers make in Lee County?

The beginning hourly rate in the district is $17.50. Bus drivers are also eligible for bonuses throughout the school year. Drivers are also able to get as much overtime as they need or want due to the shortage of drivers.

What will happen if the district doesn't get enough bus drivers?

Instead of each bus driver taking one route from two schools each morning and evening, they will be taking up to four or five routes per school.

In some cases, the routes will be combined into one trip, which means more kids per bus. In other cases, some students will have to wait at school early in the morning or late into the afternoon while bus drivers run extra routes one after the other.

In those cases, school administrators will take on the extra time burden to keep an eye on the children before and after school," Lloyd said.

How do I find my child's bus route?

Visit mapnet.leeschools.net.

How do I keep track of my child's bus each day?

Download the WheresTheBus app, wheresthebus.com. Parents will need to set up an account, select Lee County Schools, click continue and add students. Parents will need their student's school ID number.

Lloyd said with the shortage of driver's this year, the WheresTheBus app will not be able to track routes picked up by other drivers.

He said parents need to make sure to sign up for their school's messenger system for the most up-to-date daily information.

How to become a bus driver

Bus drivers for any school district need a commercial driver's license, also known as a CDL.

Job alert: How to become a bus driver for Lee County schools

In Lee County, applicants need to first apply for the position through the district by visiting leeschools.net/careers/bus_drivers.

After an interview, the district will walk applicants through the process of obtaining a CDL license. Applicants will also be paid for their time testing and training for the position.

Back to School coverage

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will have a special series of Back to School stories on our web sites and our social media platforms leading up the first day of school in Lee and Collier County on Aug. 10.

COMING WEDNESDAY: We will list the new principals at schools in Lee and Collier.

Nikki Ross covers education for the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News. She can be reached at NRoss@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @nikkiinreallife.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lee County school bus driver shortage: Here's what you need to know