November 11, 2021

Article courtesy of Maryland Matters

Faced with a nationwide shortage of school bus drivers, some Maryland county executives and school district leaders are pumping more money to increase drivers’ wages, whose average starting salary is $19.45 an hour, according to the Maryland State Department of Education. 

That average starting salary is considerably less than any other commercial driver license holder — including those who operate dump trucks or deliver for Amazon or DoorDash — said Erin Appel, who represents Maryland School Bus Contractor Association. She testified about the shortage of school bus drivers before state lawmakers in a virtual briefing on Wednesday.