Gwinnett looking to hire more school bus drivers
By The Numbers
52,000 - number of bus stops in Gwinnett
129,429 - number of Gwinnett students transported daily, third most in the nation
132,000 - number of miles driven daily by Gwinnett school bus drivers
1,926 - number of Gwinnett school buses
Source: Gwinnett County Public Schools
With less than a week before the new school year, Gwinnett County school officials say they could use a few more school bus drivers.
Gwinnett currently has 64 bus driver openings, district officials said. The district has nearly 1,600 bus drivers.
School district spokesman Bernard Watson stressed that Gwinnett has enough bus drivers to cover its 7,900 bus routes when classes start Aug. 10. Watson said the district wants to have some more drivers in case of staffing emergencies.
“You always want some extras to cover the routes in case someone gets sick,” Watson said.
Watson said Gwinnett is constantly looking for drivers. He said it’s been tougher to hire and retain drivers since the Great Recession ended.
“As the economy has gotten better, it’s harder to hire folks,” he said.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
