Little Miami board debates emergency measures to address driver shortage: bonuses, training and outsourcing on the table

The Little Miami Local board spent the meeting’s main discussion on transportation staffing, hearing a presentation from district staff about recruiting, training and routing changes intended to reduce canceled bus routes and get students to school.

A staff member leading the report described a recruiting team — led by Stephanie Messer and including Shirley Jump and Dennis Erickson — that has attended local events and planned an open house and community outreach materials to attract drivers. The team proposed paid outreach (matching shirts, yard signs and flyers) and an open house intended to strengthen communication with families and promote driver recruitment.

The presenter outlined a two‑phase support plan to get new drivers certified. Phase 1 would pay candidates up to $25 per hour for a maximum of four hours of study time for the CDL written test (up to $100) and an additional on‑site support payment (another $25/hour if needed), producing an estimated maximum one‑time cost of about $200 per new driver for the initial certification stage. Phase 2 — behind‑the‑wheel/OBI training — was estimated at about 20–25 hours; the presenter suggested an average pay of $20 per hour for that phase, producing an average Phase 2 cost around $500 and a higher‑end estimate near $700 per driver depending on prior experience. The presenter said the district currently pays about $10.70 per hour in the classification and acknowledged the district is “way off” regional averages.

Board members repeatedly pressed for concrete numbers. The staff member cited specific operational data: when a route is canceled parents or neighbors must drive students or the students miss school; he noted example canceled routes and a day in February when 11 drivers and three aides were absent. The district has 62 drivers on staff currently and, depending on how routes are built, could need roughly 67 drivers to cover the previous year’s routes; the board said it expects to know hiring needs only after routes are finalized.

To make hiring more attractive, members proposed sign‑on bonuses and revised attendance incentives. Suggestions mentioned in the meeting included $2,000 sign‑on bonuses (or higher), a $10,000 figure raised in general discussion for hard‑to‑fill roles, and smaller referral payments (for example $500). Several board members warned that increasing incentives that apply to classified staff could trigger wider bargaining consequences under the LMTA contract and said staff should run financial scenarios showing best‑ and worst‑case costs and how a limited transportation‑only resolution might work. The staff member said he had discussed the intervention‑specialist resolution process with the LMTA president and that the superintendent has hiring discretion but agreed to prepare figures for action at the June meeting.

The board also debated whether to use contractors as a temporary backup if local recruitment falls short. Staff described the district’s contract with 1st Student for route analysis and said more efficient routes could free up standby drivers — but increased efficiency also could reduce the ability to combine routes on short notice and therefore make the district vulnerable to cancellations if multiple drivers call off. Several board members expressed concern about the optics and long‑term risks of outsourcing, citing other districts that had difficulty exiting private agreements; others said a short‑term contracting arrangement with an explicit exit plan could be a practical stopgap if local recruitment fails.

Several trustees urged involving veteran drivers to review proposed routes to ensure they are executable, and recommended monthly or biweekly updates to the board on recruitment progress (applicants, interviews, hires, and pipeline status). One trustee asked staff to deliver a simple, plain‑language forecast showing likely costs for proposed incentives so the board can act quickly if needed.

The board did not take a vote on specific hiring bonuses or contracting arrangements at the special meeting; members agreed to place actionable items and cost figures on the June agenda for decision. Staff said a consultant’s (Staples) written report would be available before his departure around June 16–17 and that some Phase 1/Phase 2 hiring actions would be brought back for approval in June.