Tri-County board approves two-tier increase in yellow bus driver daily pay

The Tri-County School Corporation board approved a two-tier increase in daily pay for yellow bus drivers, aiming to improve recruitment and retention for the transportation workforce.

At the board meeting, a staff member recommended raising the daily rate for drivers with under five years of experience to $125 and the rate for drivers with five or more years to $132, effective for the '02/2027' school year as presented. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote, recorded as 7-0.

The staff member told the board the district had discussed bus-driver pay for several months and proposed the two-tier approach to better recognize experience. "The recommendation would be to move that 0 to 5 years of experience to a 125," the staff member said during the presentation. The motion to approve was made and carried with no opposing votes.

The presentation referenced the current daily rates for comparison; the staff member described the previous, lower rates in the meeting packet. No individual board member votes by name were recorded in the transcript; the board reported the motion passed unanimously.

The board did not attach additional funding sources to the pay increase during the discussion. The increase will take effect as stated in the recommendation and will be implemented by the district payroll office unless the board revises the effective date at a later meeting.

The board also discussed open bus-route bids and noted that bus-route bids are due May 29; the board anticipates bringing route awards to the June meeting.