NSTA Encourages Inclusion of School Bus Drivers in Proposed Federal ‘Heroes Fund’
The National School Transportation Association calls for U.S. Senate co-sponsors of the proposed fund unveiled on Capitol Hill to list school bus drivers as essential workers eligible for $25,000 in hazard pay.
The National School Transportation Association has called for U.S. Senate co-sponsors of the proposed Heroes fund to list school bus drivers as essential workers eligible for $25,000 in hazard pay. File photo
2 min to read
The National School Transportation Association has called for U.S. Senate co-sponsors of the proposed Heroes fund to list school bus drivers as essential workers eligible for $25,000 in hazard pay. File photo
LANSDALE, Pa. — The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) has written to U.S. Senate co-sponsors of the “Heroes Fund” to request the inclusion of school bus drivers as essential workers in the $25,000 hazard pay proposal recently unveiled on Capitol Hill.
The letter, authored by NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn, was addressed to Sen. Charles Schumer (NY), Sen. Gary Peters (MI), Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH), Sen. Patty Murray (WA), Sen. Robert Casey (PA), and Sen. Tom Udall (NM), the association said in a news release.
“Even though schools may be closed, school bus drivers have answered the call to deliver essential nutrition programs to students who would have normally received them, if they remained in the classroom,” Macysyn said. “Unlike many other professions, school bus drivers do not have the capacity to work from home, so they remain on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. And most of these committed professionals will faithfully return to their vital role of transporting schoolchildren, once this health crisis subsides.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the nation’s education system in unprecedented ways. Many schools have shuttered their doors until the next academic year, while others are closed indefinitely.
Ad Loading...
In an effort to support their communities and retain trained and experienced drivers, school bus contractors have worked with school districts to deliver food and supplies to students. Many parents are relying on these drivers to deliver meals that the students would have received if they were in school. For many drivers, this means they are subjecting themselves to an increased risk of exposure to the coronavirus and contracting COVID-19 as they provide critical outreach to hard-hit communities.
NSTA advises that although the previously mentioned efforts place drivers on the front line temporarily, they are highly necessary. When school resumes, however, school bus contractors will likely need incentives to recruit and retain drivers for highly exposed positions on buses with as many as 72 passengers. Many individuals may not want to risk that exposure and others willing to expose themselves to the risks involved should be rewarded.
Senate Democrats continue to rally support for the Heroes Fund, and several have indicated that this provision should be folded into the fourth installment of COVID-19 federal stimulus legislation, according to NSTA.
Additionally, NSTA identified and thanked essential workers such as school bus drivers and monitors by joining the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure’s tweetstorm #ToThoseWhoKeepUsMoving on Tuesday. NSTA and its members also thanked school bus drivers on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
CalAmp’s updated Here Comes The Bus app introduces enhanced safety controls, streamlined parent onboarding, and expanded features to improve visibility and communication around student transportation.
It’s a celebration and a blast from the past in this special anniversary episode of The Route. Take a walk through major industry moments, milestones, and the people who shaped it with some faces you haven’t seen in a while! The Route is sponsored by IC Bus.
From Maine bus safety upgrades to stop-arm camera bills, electric bus funding, and an Alabama workforce solution, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Missed any of last month’s industry news? We got you. Reporting from Minneapolis, here’s your quick recap of updates from Waymo's controversy, technology, and safety legislation across the U.S.
Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.
Check out some of the latest personnel moves from across the school bus industry, including new leadership appointments, various promotions, and major restructuring.
School closures are inevitable, but transportation chaos doesn’t have to be. Learn how modern routing technology helps districts model closure scenarios before board votes turn into crises.
