By 1808Delaware
It’s one way to find new dedicated employees. Olentangy Local Schools is giving prospective bus drivers a chance to try the driver’s seat before deciding whether the job fits.
The district will hold a Test Drive a Bus and Interview Day on Saturday, October 24, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the West Transportation Center, 6876 Sawmill Parkway in Powell. The event comes as Olentangy seeks 35 drivers to cover 20 routes.
Read the district’s bus-driver hiring information.
Twenty Routes Need More Drivers
The size of the current need emerged in the district’s September 24 Board of Education update. Transportation Director Kayla Tifis said Olentangy was actively hiring 35 bus drivers amid an ongoing shortage. The same report described a transportation system facing higher equipment and operating costs. The price of a school bus rose from $96,000 in 2021 to $160,500 in 2026, while the district’s fuel costs doubled in a year.
Those figures do not change the basic daily obligation. Students still need reliable transportation to and from school, and every uncovered route adds pressure to the people already moving the district’s buses. Review the district’s September 24 board update.
Training Starts Before The Route Does
Previous school-bus experience is not required. The district says it provides paid training and covers the cost of physicals, required pre-service classes, and background checks. It also helps applicants obtain a commercial driver’s license and the endorsements needed for the job. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and at least two years of motor-vehicle driving experience. They also must pass a background check and a Department of Transportation physical.
Full-time drivers work five to six hours a day and receive medical, vision, and dental benefits. Pay ranges from $25.89 to $39.56 an hour based on experience. Trainees and substitute drivers start at $25.89 an hour.
The split-shift schedule follows the school day rather than a conventional eight-hour workday. That can appeal to someone looking for part-time hours or summers off, but it also requires availability when students are traveling in the morning and afternoon.
What To Expect October 24
The hiring event combines two steps that applicants ordinarily might complete separately. Prospective drivers can get a practical feel for handling a school bus and interview with the transportation team during the same two-hour window. The district has not posted a separate registration requirement for the event. Interested applicants can call 740-657-4387, email transportation@olsd.us, or use the online application link on the district’s hiring page.
A test drive cannot answer every question about the work. It can, however, make a large vehicle and an unfamiliar job less abstract. For Olentangy, each person who takes that first turn behind the wheel could become part of the answer to a shortage affecting 20 routes.
