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Durango schools fill bus-driver ranks

Victor Figueroa, director of transportation with Durango 9-R School District, took some routes himself during a bus driver shortage. The district reports it’s back to a full complement.

Four months ago, Durango School District 9-R was on the verge of combining some of its 21 school-bus routes because of a lack of drivers.

Five vacancies and two extended medical-leave absences had stretched driver ranks so thin that district personnel who have a commercial driver’s license – director of operations Victor Figueroa, bus-barn mechanics, secretaries and the district mailman/courier – were pressed into service.

The district placed fliers around town, hung a banner at Durango High School that announced it was hiring, got local and Albuquerque media coverage of its plight and advertised regionally and nationally for drivers.

When the word got out, response followed.

Today, the district has its full complement of 25 to 30 drivers and has several in training, District Spokeswoman Julie Popp said Thursday.

Trainees earn a partial salary, Popp said. Entry-level salary for drivers is $13 to $14 an hour, with annual step increases of 1 percent to 3 percent and with merit increases based on a supervisor’s recommendation. The district has failed to give the step increase once, Popp said.

daler@durangoherald.com

Jun 1, 2016
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