Bus drivers press Nash County Board of Education for $3 hourly raise, cite safety and communication gaps

Five bus drivers and representatives of the Nash County NCAE transportation committee urged the Nash County Board of Education on Monday to address stagnant pay, safety concerns and gaps in communication that they say are driving colleagues from the workforce.

The speakers asked the board to include a $3-an-hour pay increase for all bus drivers and monitors in the district's budget and asked for clearer, faster lines of communication between drivers and district staff. “We're asking for a raise, and we're coming before you to ask this of you,” Mary Arrington, who identified herself as a driver for Nash County Public Schools, told the board during the public-comment period.

The drivers said the district has made some supportive gestures but that more is needed to stabilize staffing and protect students. Lisa Battle, who said she has driven buses for more than 40 years, said the group is gathering signatures for a petition and is “calling for better pay, especially an increase of $3 an hour for all drivers and monitors.” Tonja Richardson described difficulty reaching coordinators while on the road and said some drivers must arrive before dawn to prepare buses in poorly lit lots.

The concerns presented in public comment included: - Pay: multiple speakers requested a $3-per-hour increase for drivers and monitors. - Communication: drivers said they often cannot reach school or district coordinators while running routes and requested improved, accessible channels. - Safety: speakers said some drivers, including older employees, must work in dimly lit parking areas before sunrise and asked for improved safety measures. - Access to payroll portal: Mary Arrington said a district change to the employee pay portal in November required an Apple phone to access pay stubs, a requirement she said excluded some employees.

Board and staff response: Superintendent Ellis said district leaders met last week with several transportation employees and reviewed a survey and the materials the drivers provided. “We heard their concerns,” Ellis said. He told the board staff will meet again with drivers in the coming weeks and will “present something in the next committee meeting” outlining how the district plans to address the drivers' concerns and how it will make up school days missed to snow. The superintendent did not specify a dollar amount or timeline for any pay change.

District staff previously offered to pay for CPR and first-aid training for drivers and monitors, a benefit speakers noted during public comment. The board did not take a formal vote on pay at the meeting; Ellis's comments were presented as next steps and direction to staff rather than a final decision.

Why it matters: Bus drivers and monitors are front-line employees who said pay, safety and communication problems are contributing to recruitment and retention challenges that affect student transportation. The board will receive follow-up proposals and details in an upcoming committee meeting, according to the superintendent.

What's next: Superintendent Ellis said staff will present a proposal at the next committee meeting; no specific date or budget language was announced at the public meeting.