Bryan County schools bus drivers ready to transport students Tuesday morning

"Our drivers triple down on the routes. We have 100 bus routes in south Bryan, where the bulk of the students live. Each driver drives three routes in the morning and three after school. It's a three-tier system. The three-tier system was school superintendent Paul Brooksher's idea several years ago.”

A typical day for Bryan drivers runs approximately from 6 to 9 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.

Cox also said the school system has 100 buses and transports approximately 6,900 students daily.

Cox said there are several keys to attracting and keeping school bus drivers.

"We offer a good starting salary; we create an environment that makes it fun to work here, and we treat our drivers with respect and listen to their ideas and suggestions,” Cox said. “You have to create a culture where people want to work. That's what we do."

The transportation director also said the school system offers a $100 monthly incentive to bus drivers who don't miss a day during the month.

Cox said all of those policies that are put in place to attract and retain school bus drivers has led to a very low driver turnover rate.

"We lost one driver from last year to this semester and that was because he passed away. We support our drivers. Everyone from the school board to the school administrators.

"We purchased eight new buses this year and we're waiting for delivery to add those to the fleet,” Cox said.

"Even though we're in good shape, we're still looking for drivers. We always are looking for drivers. You can never have enough good bus drivers. Bus drivers are the first school employee students see in the morning and the last after school."

The transportation director said bus routes should run more efficiently with the widening of Highway 144 and the opening of exit 82 on I-95.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Bryan County schools bus drivers ready to transport students Tuesday morning