Across the Living Sky School Division, across the province, across the country - there is a serious shortage of bus drivers.
Living Sky's transportation manager, Colin Westgard, says, "The bottom line is we have to entice people to want to be bus drivers for our division."
The division is looking into various ways to improve retention and recruitment.
"We're going to have to do something different to get people to apply," he told board of education members recently. The division is competing with many other job opportunities.
Competition for recruits is particularly apparent in the western half of the division.
"On the west side, we cannot compete dollar-wise with the oil patch," said Westgard, "but it is pretty well across the division."
Additional impacts are the decline in the rural population and an aging population looking for flexibility to holiday at a time of their own choosing.
"Travel is cheap," said Westgard. "Everybody can afford to go travelling and they're at the stage where, 'We're going, you don't like it, here's my letter.' And that's a fact."
Westgard, along with human resources superintendent Brenda Vickers and human resources manager Herman Bugler Jr., made a presentation to the board on a variety of recruitment and retention possibilities last week. The list included a minimum guaranteed wage, referral and signing bonuses, targeting a new demographic and an extensive and sustained ad campaign.
Because the division is competing with other job opportunities and a changing dynamic within the population, Westgard commented more than once that effective solutions are going to cost money - and the different plans may be targeted to specific locations within the region.
"It's a changing dynamic of people we're trying to hire," said Westgard.
Although he said it was at the bottom of the list for priority, there was one plan he liked as the best way to deliver service. It would also be the most expensive.
It involved hiring four drivers for three routes - the "four for three" option. If they did implement it, they might be the only division in the world to be doing so, he said.
Vickers said it "warrants a good look tonight."
The concept would be that each of the four drivers works at least three weeks per month, driving the same route. Every fourth week, in rotation, the fourth driver would drive one of the three routes.
Addressing time off bus drivers need for medical and other appointments, the plan would include the expectation that these drivers would book all their appointments on their days off, except in extenuating circumstances, said Vickers. They also may be asked to do casual through the week off and be paid as a spare.
Westgard admitted, "It's really out there in left field. It's not something anybody else has thought of doing, but it gives us the ability to ensure service at a much higher level."
He said it would take some careful planning and thought and would take some time to iron out, but, he said, "I'd like to build something that's going to work down the road."
Board members agreed the four for three idea should be at the bottom of the list, some more vehemently than others, however they accepted that notion that meeting the division's transportation needs is going to cost more money.
The idea of approximately 25 per cent more in wages with a three for four option was a troublesome notion, and they all agreed it would be difficult for other employees to accept drivers being paid for work they may not be doing.
Bugler, who works closely with the Canadian Union of Employees, said, "I fully anticipate that would have to be part of discussion up front with CUPE."
He noted CUPE has been open to other options looked at when trying to address driver shortages.
Vickers said it may be time to accept that different needs have to be addressed differently.
"When I think back on my career, we used to think you had to do the same for everyone; that was the only fair way to be," she said. "Then we realized at some point that what students need might look different and you had to work with that."
It's a market need, she said, and not something you'd necessarily do for every employee. While other employees may not like the idea of drivers being paid for time not worked, it may come to that and education will have to be done.
"That's a tough concept," said Vickers.
She also pointed out all the drivers would be eligible for benefits, because they would all be working enough.
Board members didn't give the go ahead of the four for three idea, but they agreed a more aggressive advertising campaign should be tried, and new demographics targeted.
Vickers suggests targeting stay-at-home parents - who can take their toddlers on the bus with them - and the First Nations community more than they have been.
"We have to go harder after a different demographic," she said. "We have to appeal to people who are not the demographic from which we traditionally got bus drivers."
She added that would help realize another division goal, which is a more representative work force.
The board also heard ideas on how to make bus drivers feel more appreciated.
"Jackets, sweaters, toques, gloves," said Vickers. "It has to be genuine appreciation. Even a hand-written note goes a long way."
Board chair Ken Arsenault thanked the team for their presentation.
"Thank you for all the work and thinking outside the box," he said. "We know this division is very innovative and it goes with every department of the division. It's not only teachers and central office, it's bus drivers and the transportation department and we appreciate you and all the work you do in that area."
Board members noted a gathering of bus drivers in October will provide an opportunity for conversations from which more ideas might arise.
