** UPDATED STORY (2:44 p.m.) **
FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WMDJ) – School bus drivers in Floyd County organized a “sick-out” on Tuesday morning, with 32 drivers calling in sick, resulting in a shortage of drivers and many children missing classes.
According to a statement from Floyd County Schools, bus drivers and the school system began to discuss reworking an agreement formerly approved in 2021 under former Superintendent Anna Shepherd with minimal changes.
One of the sticking points is the overtime pay for drivers and payment for “no rider” jobs – where drivers are scheduled to transport students for an extracurricular activity and paid, even if the trip was cancelled. Under the new agreement, drivers will receive one hour of pay if a trip is canceled without a least one hour’s notice and extracurricular trip pay will reflect the hours worked or requested.
Floyd County schools say drive pay is not being reduced and driver scheduled hours remain the same as either 5-hour or 7-hour employees.
Floyd County school bus drivers make $28,000 per year base salary, not counting overtime or extra-curricular trips. Floyd County Schools has been advertising the need to hire more drivers, with a starting pay of $17.33 per hour.
ORIGINAL STORY...
FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WMDJ) – School bus drivers in Floyd County organized a “sick-out” on Tuesday morning, with at least 27 drivers calling in sick, resulting in a shortage of drivers and many children missing classes.
According to sources, bus drivers and the Floyd County School System have been engaged in negotiations for a new contract with little or no resolution.
One of the sticking points is the overtime pay for drivers and defining the type of pay drivers receive for, “no rider” jobs – where drivers are scheduled to transport students for an extra-curricular activity, yet no students ride the bus or the driver is told their trip is not necessary.
Floyd County school bus drivers make $28,000 per year on salary, not counting overtime or extra-curricular trips.
Missy Salyers of the KEA is preparing a statement on behalf of drivers to be released later today. Floyd County Schools released a statement this morning kindly asking parents and guardians to make arrangements to transport their children to and from school today.
Floyd County Schools has been advertising the need to hire more drivers, with a starting pay of $17.33 per hour.
Today is known as, “High Attendance Day” across all schools in Kentucky.
