HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico County Public Schools held its 4th annual bus driving job fair Saturday, giving prospective drivers a hands-on chance to get behind the wheel of a school bus.
The event is part of an effort to recruit new drivers ahead of the upcoming school year.
The district currently has 450 contracted drivers and 100 sub-drivers, but is looking to hire 15 more before August.
"You never know what's going to happen over the summer when drivers leave and take their break. We do have about 10 people that are going to retire this year, and we can never have enough bus drivers," Director of Pupil Transportation Jim Ellis said.
Ellis has had a passion for driving buses most of his life.
It was sparked by his own school bus driver growing up.
"My bus driver was one of the greatest people that I knew at that time, and I just thought he was really cool, and I wanted to be a bus driver just based on that," Ellis said.
Now, Ellis hopes the job fair gives others the same push.
"You hear so many times that people say, I could never drive a school bus, but they haven't gotten behind a wheel to know exactly what it takes," Ellis said.
At Saturday's event, attendees were invited to take a bus for a test drive.
"We asked them to get behind the wheel and take it for a spin and see whether it's something that you would like to pursue," Ellis said.
For Ronnie Foster, who attended the fair hoping to become a Henrico school bus driver, the experience delivered.
"This is actually what I thought it would be, you know, this was exciting. I like the feel of driving the bus," Foster said.
Foster says his own positive memories of school bus drivers motivated him to apply.
"I've always had good relations with the bus drivers that I grew up with when I was in school, so that was another part to it as well, having a relationship with the kids and even with the kids' families," Foster said.
After Saturday's test ride, interested applicants like Foster will fill out an application and wait for an interview. If selected, prospective drivers will complete a three to four week driving course to prepare for the upcoming school year.
Foster says the experience left him eager to move forward.
"If you like being over the road, if you like being involved, if you like being around people, if you like helping, then this is a good opportunity," Foster said.
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