It’s Official: PBC School Bus Drivers Are Now Highest Paid In The State

New Bus Drivers Start At $20.00/hr

UPDATE

The School District of Palm Beach County voted and approved the pay increase for bus drivers Boca Post reported on last week.

School District of Palm Beach County bus drivers become the highest paid drivers in the state of Florida, following the School Board approving a salary increase for starting bus driver positions from $17.33 to $20.00 per hour. Existing bus drivers will receive a $2.75 per hour increase.

“This is the latest example of the School Board’s commitment to addressing this critical staffing shortage, acknowledging the hardworking employees who have been helping us manage this challenge, and most importantly, ensuring we are able to provide safe, reliable, and timely transportation services for our students,” said Joe Sanches, the District’s Chief Operating Officer.

The following are incentives for PBCSD bus drivers:
• Recent starting pay increase to $20.00 per hour.
• A one-time $1,000 recruitment incentive upon successful completion of the probationary period.
• Exceptional benefits package.
• Paid CDL training at a rate of $15.00 per hour.
• Flexible full-time work schedules.

Basic job requirements:
• Safe licensed driver for five years.
• Excellent driving record.
• Pass DOT physical examination.
• Be able to communicate in English.
• Enjoys working with children.

Originally reported by Boca Post

PALM BEACH COUNTY – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — The School Board Of Palm Beach County will vote on increasing the starting pay and the pay of existing bus drivers.

According to an SDPBC memo reviewed by Boca Post, the district and the two labor unions (SEIU and FPSU) have come to an agreement to make several pay increases to bus drivers in Palm Beach County.

If the board approves, the starting pay for the Bus Driver I position will increase from $17.33 an hour to $20.00 an hour. All current bus drivers will receive a $2.75 per hour pay increase as well.

The memo can be reviewed here:

The School District of Palm Beach County (‘District’) and the Service Employees International Union-Florida Public Services Union (“SEIU/FPSU”), as evidenced by the respective signatures below, agree to this Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU’) related to the base salary for all Bus Driver I and Bus Driver II positions. The District and SEIU/FPSU shall be collectively referred to as “the Parties”. The Parties agree as follows:

In an effort to attract and retain qualified and experienced employees for our school bus driver positions, as a result of impact bargaining, the district is implementing a base salary increase of $2.75 per hour for all employees in Bus Driver I and Bus Driver II positions, This rate increase shall be effective the first day of the pay period following the execution of this MOU. Following this increase, the new minimum hourly rate for the BusDriver I position will go from $17.33 per hour to $20.00 per hour.

As wages is a mandatory subject of bargaining, this adjustment will serve as the negotiated recurring salary SEIU/FPSU wage increase for Bus Driver I and Bus Driver II positions for the 2023 re-opener negotiations. Unless otherwise agreed upon by the Parties, all Bus Driver I and Bus Driver II positions will not be eligible to receive any other recurring salary increase during the 2023 re-opener negotiations. Nothing in this agreement prohibits Bus Driver I and Bus Driver II positions from receiving a potential supplement, bonus, or other compensation that is not part of the recurring base salary wage increase offered to other positions within the SEIWFPSU bargaining unit as part of the 2023 negotiation re-opener.

Wages, including recurring base salaries, and increases for all other positions within the SEIU/FPSU bargaining agreements, along with the potential supplement, bonus, and other compensation, will be negotiated during the upcoming 2023 negotiation re-opener.

The board is expected to vote on this matter at a school board meeting on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022.