ANDERSON COUNTY S.C. (WSPA) – Anderson County will start school next Thursday and transportation officials are encouraging drivers to be cautious of children at bus stops and obey school zone signs.
According to Anderson County Transportation Office, during the first week of school, bus drivers will go over safety rules with kids.
Tracy Richardson, Anderson County District 3 Safety Officer and Bus Driver of 32 years, said parents should tell their child to watch the bus driver who will signal when it is safe to cross the road.
“I know you are the parent, but they need to watch us. We can see a lot of the angles you can’t,” said Richardson.
Richardson said their buses have upgraded features, which include a birds eye view of the bus and five cameras inside the bus with monitors. The cameras help bus drivers watch for any movement around the bus.
Dylan McCullough, Anderson Co. District 3 Chief Communications Officer, said there’s a shortage of bus drivers across the Upstate. The salary for a zero-year experienced bus driver is $17.28, which is an increase from 2021. Training is hands-on and will last about a month.
“Even though we won’t be able to let the new hires start driving routes on the first day of school, they can still come to get on-site training and be ready to go in about a month on their own,” said McCullough.
Adding more bus drivers to the school district will avoid long bus routes.
“Parents can expect buses to run late for the first week or two of school. We have to make sure that we have the right kids on our buses, but we do make sure these kids get home safely, and we make sure they get home within a reasonable time,” said Richardson.
McCullough describes bus driving as a rewarding career.
“Our bus drivers are our unsung heroes of our school district and we are extremely thankful for them,” said McCullough.
Richardson said the best part about her job is connecting with the children and making sure they get to and from school safely.
“I love my kids. They are my kids when they are on the bus, and I think they know that,” said Richardson.
If you are interested in knowing more about open job positions for District 3, click here or call ( (864) 353-3200.
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