School Bus Driver Count Drops to 202,076
Employment in the sector fell nearly 10% between 2019 and 2025, prompting districts to adjust routes and seek legislative changes.
By Robert Ward ·
The total number of school bus drivers in the United States reached 202,076 in August 2025. This figure represents a decline of nearly 10% from the 223,252 drivers employed in August 2019. Districts across the country are responding to this reduction by altering service schedules and seeking new hiring strategies.
The shortage has led to tangible disruptions for students and families. In South Carolina’s largest school district, more than 7,000 bus delay notifications were sent to parents during the first 10 weeks of the 2025-2026 academic year. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, thousands of students transitioned to remote learning for three days in April 2026 due to a lack of available drivers.
Victoria Encarnacion of Waterbury, Connecticut, described a recent incident involving her daughter. The student waited outside at the designated stop but realized the bus was not coming. She walked to a different stop at North Main and then returned home after an hour. Encarnacion said her daughter called to say, “Mom, I quit.” Encarnacion noted that missed pickups occur approximately once a month for her family. “As a parent, is it stressful every day not knowing if the bus is going to pick up your kid? Absolutely,” she said.
Mark Medina, a regional director for the National Association for Pupil Transportation, explained that the pandemic shifted labor dynamics. Drivers with commercial licenses can now switch to other industries offering higher wages. Medina described the profession as a “lose-lose situation” where drivers do their best in a challenging environment. He stated, “They’re doing the best that they can. It’s not an easy thing to transport a bus with 50 kids. There’s a lot happening.”
Medina said pay has improved in recent years. The association is currently working to secure retirement cap waivers and tax relief for drivers. He cited split shifts and changes in risk factors for an aging workforce as reasons why pre-pandemic staffing levels are difficult to reach. “There’s a figure it out attitude in the school transportation world,” Medina said. “And I believe that if that mindset continues, we’re going to be all right.”
Legislators introduced the “Driving Forward Act” in 2025 to lower barriers for new drivers. The bill proposes removing a requirement for commercial driver’s license holders to identify engine parts. Lawmakers argue this requirement is designed for long-haul trucking and adds three to four days of training. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration stated the exemption would not affect safety.
