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Pasco board hears transportation update as district recruits 21 new bus drivers for training
Summary
District staff reported efforts to stabilize bus service: 21 driver trainees will enter a three‑week training class and the district held a hiring event with 36 attendees. Board members asked for a detailed route status update to be provided at the next meeting.
Pasco County School District staff on Sept. 9 told the school board they are actively recruiting and training bus drivers and working to address ongoing route timing issues.
Director-level staff said 21 drivers will enter a training class that lasts about three weeks and that the district hosted a hiring event that 36 people attended. Staff described an eight‑step onboarding process — including fingerprinting and other clearances — that prospective drivers must complete before entering training, and said district leaders are looking for ways to speed that pipeline.
Board members pressed for specific metrics and locations for route problems, asking the transportation office to provide a detailed update at the next board meeting. “We have 21 drivers that are gonna enter training class, which lasts about 3 weeks long,” a district staff member said. The staff member added the district is working to build efficiencies in the onboarding steps and expects further training cohorts behind the current group.
Why it matters: reliable bus service affects student attendance and instructional time. Board members said they have received both complaints and positive follow-ups from families and asked for targeted remedies where problems persist rather than general statements.
Next steps: staff said they will provide a more detailed update to the board on Sept. 23 that will include specific route problem areas, timelines for bringing new drivers onto routes and steps to accelerate the onboarding process.
