MCKENZIE BRIDGE, Ore. – Lane County is facing a shortage of school bus drivers, especially in rural areas, so the McKenzie School District is holding a recruitment event this weekend in hopes of recruiting new drivers.
McKenzie School District will host the “Drive the Bus and BBQ” event on May 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the high school in Finn Rock. Members of the public are invited to come out and test drive a school bus, enjoy a great lunch and talk with current bus drivers about what it’s like behind the wheel of a bus. Justin Barker, a driver with McKenzie schools, said it’s a rewarding and flexible.
“It's a great job, because it's flexible. You can work in the morning a few hours, work in the afternoon a few hours, and then work in the evening as well,” Barker said. “There's also flexibility to drive to the sporting events, the band, things along those lines, so there's opportunities there as well.”
The district is looking to hire at least two more drivers by fall 2025. Although it’s a part-time job, bus drivers do get benefits.