Novi Community School District actively recruiting bus drivers

NOVI, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – As kids head back to school, some districts in Metro Detroit are still in need of bus drivers.

In the Novi Community School District, Emily Moore, a bus driver in the district for seven years, has been the familiar face kids look forward to seeing every day.

“There are lots of rewards; you know you look for them. Kids that say thank you, good morning, please…and getting to know them is a huge reward,” said Moore.

Moore is not only a beloved school bus driver but a Novi community member and advocate for the Novi Community School District.

“This is really a great district to work in, and if you’re considering driving a bus, I really do believe that Novi is one of the top departments to work for. We have great bus drivers, excellent management, a great team. There’s a lot of teamwork,” she stated.

On average, the district likes having about 35 bus drivers on staff annually. Right now, Director of Transportation Cynthia Valentine, says they need about 10 more.

“We would like to get more that way, we can break up the routes a little bit and we wouldn’t have as many students on each bus,” said Valentine.

The past five years, Valentine says bus drivers have been hard to come by.

“We’re competing with a lot of different things, but once we get drivers in they love our team, they love our comradery and they love working for our district and with our kids,” Valentine stated.

Never driven a bus before? No problem. The district provides all the tools so those behind the wheel are well equipped.

“If you don’t have a CDL currently, we will train you. We have a trainer in house that will take you through the entire process,” said Valentine.

“Training is one-on-one so that’s great. You get a lot of attention so you can have all of your questions answered. You have an opportunity to make those small mistakes and overcome and gain your confidence and then when I started driving, that first day I had to get in the bus, I felt very prepared,” Moore said.

In addition to incentives, including all benefits, Valentine says compared to last school year the district has also upped the pay for bus drivers.

“Last year, our drivers started at $17.95 and this year our drivers will start between $21 and $23 an hour,” she said.

A necessary job that gets students to and from school, but more importantly, it’s a way to give back to the community.

“If you want to enjoy being with kids, if you want to be part of an incredible team of people, come on down and see us. We’d love to have you be part of our team,” said Valentine.

Even if you have an ounce of curiosity as to what it takes to become a bus driver, the district says you can ride along to see if this job is the perfect fit.

If you’re interested in learning more about the job or have any questions for the school district, check out its website.