'When I refresh the program it should be in there, and it directs me right to the stop,' Draughn said.ĭraughn adds it has the student's information, including their bus stop and school, and it has a photo to identify the child, so he says this has made it a lot easier to transition and pick up additional students. This is a problem school districts are facing statewide.įortunately for Mount Airy school bus drivers, the buses have smart technology that have a navigation system that maps out the routes. 'I would do like 30, 29 to 31 routes, and now I'm going up to 40, 41, 42 routes,' he explained. Right now, the district only has enough drivers to cover about 60% of its routes, forcing drivers like Draughn to drive extra routes. Mount Airy City Schools transportation coordinator Jon Doss says it's the worst bus driver shortage he's seen in his 27 years of working for the district. 'It was my arch desire to be back at school and work with my students again,' he emphasized. It's the kids that make Draughn smile and love his job, so much that Draughn came out of retirement to help these children get to and from school. 'It's the best career and blessing that you can ever see, because you get to see the kids as they go through their educational period of their life,” Draughn said. It can take people over three months of certifications and training to be able to drive a school busĪndrew Draughn has been a school bus driver for 32 years, and he says it's one of the best jobs he's ever had. There is a nationwide school bus driver shortageīus drivers are driving extra routes to make up for the shortage

The bus driver shortage continues across North Carolina and the entire country.

School bus 15