OCPS announces new bonus to address bus driver shortage

To address the national school bus driver shortage, Orange County Public Schools bus operators now can earn up to $16,000 in bonuses over two years.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 9:00 a.m. August 14, 2024

West Orange Times & Observer
News

Orange County Public Schools has announced a new initiative to help address the national school bus driver shortage.

OCPS new and current bus operators now can earn up to $16,000 in bonuses over two years in a new agreement between the school district and the Orange Education Support Professionals Association.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two parties giving up to $8,000 in bonuses for 2024-25 and 2025-26. The bonuses would be divided up in the four marking periods during each school year.

Additional benefits will include paid training to get a Commercial Driver License, $0 cost personal health insurance, retirement packages through the Florida Retirement System, a benefits package valued at $21,513, no weekends or late-night shifts, paid holidays and 10 sick days.

OCPS will host its next job fair from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 19, at its Hanging Moss Compound, 6721 Hanging Moss Road, Orlando.

Those looking for more information can click here.

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Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.