PINE HILLS, FL — Orange County Public Schools is trying to fill bus driver and mechanic vacancies as a nationwide shortage strains its ability to get students to class. The district held a hiring event at its Pine Hills Compound, where staff helped applicants complete paperwork and offered study guides for people who do not already have a commercial driver’s license.
The application process is also available online at drive.ocps.net. District transportation leaders say they need more drivers to cover regular routes and absences, and they are encouraging candidates to apply before the next job fair later this fall.
District says it needs 50 to 100 more drivers
Bill Wen, OCPS director of transportation services, said the district needs at least 50 to 100 drivers. That staffing gap matters because school transportation has to cover daily routes while also absorbing sick days, vacancies and other missed shifts.
Wen said the shortage reflects a larger national problem. He pointed to two main pressures: not enough new people entering the field and older drivers leaving through retirement. He noted that the average age of a school bus driver nationally is 59, which he said helps explain why agencies are struggling to keep enough workers behind the wheel.
Applicants can move faster if they already hold a CDL
OCPS said people who already have a commercial driver’s license can move through the hiring process more quickly. Those applicants still go through a driving record check and an on-site interview, but they do not need to start from scratch with licensing.
Candidates without a CDL are given study materials and must go to the DMV for a permit before taking the written test. Wen said the district helps guide applicants through that step, including by providing the study guide for review before they visit the DMV. OCPS said the process is meant to make the pathway clear for both experienced drivers and newcomers considering the job.
Pay, benefits and training are central to the pitch
OCPS is also leaning on pay and benefits to attract applicants. The district said bus driver wages start at $18.23 to $21.88 an hour, depending on experience. It is also offering paid training to help new hires earn a CDL, along with retirement packages through the Florida Retirement System.
Other benefits include paid employee health insurance, paid holidays and 10 sick days. The district says those perks are part of its effort to compete for workers in a field where recruiting has become more difficult. Mechanics are part of the hiring push as well, although district leaders emphasized driver vacancies as the biggest immediate need.
Former district worker says helping students drew him back
Among those attending the hiring event was Manuel Lynch, who previously worked with the district. He said he came to learn more about the opportunity and to see whether he could help out again in a role tied directly to students and the community.
Lynch said the application process was straightforward and took about an hour. After that, he described the next stage as a waiting period while the district reviews candidates. His interest reflected a broader theme at the job fair: some applicants viewed the position not just as employment, but as a way to support families who depend on school buses to get children to class.
Community need and comparisons with Seminole County
Another candidate, Christian Delgado, said he saw the shortage as a community issue because students need reliable transportation to get to school. He said parents do not always have cars, and he viewed the hiring event as a chance to spread the word that OCPS needs help.
Delgado’s comments came as Seminole County Schools pointed to a different staffing picture nearby. Seminole said its current starting hourly rate for bus drivers is $20.03 and that it also offers paid CDL training. A spokesperson said that district is not currently dealing with a bus driver shortage, underscoring how uneven the labor market can be from one district to the next.
Another hiring event is set for Oct. 26 in Pine Hills
OCPS plans to return to the Pine Hills Compound for another job fair from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Oct. 26. District leaders are hoping additional applicants will come forward before routes become harder to staff.
For OCPS, the challenge is not only finding people who can drive a bus, but also recruiting enough workers to keep student transportation reliable day after day. With retirements continuing and fewer new applicants entering the field, district leaders say the search for drivers and mechanics remains an urgent operational priority.