Clover School District raises salaries for bus drivers to combat shortages

CLOVER, S.C. — To address nationwide bus shortages the Clover School District Board of Trustees has approved a new salary schedule for bus drivers.

With the new schedule, the new starting salary will be $18 per hour, extending to $32.80 for more experienced drivers. The program has already started for current drivers and will be available to new hires.

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Superintendent Dr. Sheila Quinn highlighted the importance of bus drivers in the education system.

“Our bus drivers are a critical link between home and school. Without them, we can’t carry out our mission of delivering students a high-quality, personalized educational experience. I hope that this raise is tangible proof of our commitment to our drivers for the care they show our students each day,” said Quinn.

Students, teachers and parents advocated for their bus drivers, praising the work they do and how crucial they are to the school district. They also advocated for additional drivers to help share the workload.

Ross Hunter, Transportation Director, said that the raise is meaningful and will hopefully bring new recruits to join the district’s Transportation Department.

“This raise shows our drivers that they are a meaningful part of our organization. It is my hope that the increased salaries also serve to help us in our efforts to recruit new drivers to the Clover School District,” said Hunter.

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