Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Commissioners approve $1.3M boost for bus drivers, radios in Pender County Schools

A county board that contributes to the school district’s operational budget has approved millions of dollars to increase bus driver pay and become competitive against surrounding districts. The money also covers radio equipment for the buses and Chromebooks for students. (Port City Daily/File)

PENDER COUNTY — A county board that contributes to the school district’s operational budget has approved millions of dollars to increase bus driver pay and become competitive against surrounding districts. The money also covers radio equipment for the buses and Chromebooks for students.

READ MORE: PC Schools propose remedy to bus driver shortage: higher pay, bus radios, extra support

The Pender County Commissioners approved $1.3 million for the schools in a 3-1 vote Monday evening. Brent Springer was the lone dissenter, while Vice Chair Ken Smith excused himself from the vote, as he works for the district.

Around $331,000 is being spent to increase starting bus driver pay by $1.49 an hour. A new radio system to outfit the buses and help strengthen communication between drivers and school administration would cost $400,000. The remaining $600,000 will be put toward procuring 2,000 new Chromebooks for students at $350 each. 

Superintendent Brad Breedlove said the Chromebooks are upon their seven-year refresh, noting the district draws out their usage more than others, which often move to buy new computers every four or five years. 

“That is about as far of a stretch as we can do to have a working computer in students’ hands,” he said, adding the computers are a vital part for students to access assignments and complete assessments. 

When asked what will be done with the old Chromebooks by Smith, Breedlove said the goal is to post them on GovDeals, an auction site that sells used government equipment. Since 2020, the computers have been covered by ESSER funds generated by the Department of Education during the Covid-19 pandemic. However that tranche of money has expired. 

Yet, the starting driver salaries and radio systems covered the bulk of conversation during the commissioners meeting. Pender County Schools has struggled with the shortage — also a nationwide issue — due to low pay and retirements exacerbated by the pandemic.

Currently, the county runs a system with 100 drivers and 15 bus monitors across 93 morning and afternoon routes, equaling a little more than 600 driving hours a day.  They run double and triple routes, with teacher assistants and coaches acting double duty as drivers, due to the district’s shortage of roughly 10 drivers. 

Breedlove added Pender County’s hiring pay falls short when compared to surrounding regions, thus also making it less competitive. Pender County Schools offers $16.26 an hour currently, while neighboring New Hanover County starts drivers at more than $18 an hour, Brunswick at more than $17, Onslow is almost at $17 and Duplin is more than $16.

The pay increase approved Monday breaks down to $270,000 for bus drivers and $61,000 for 15 bus monitors. Breedlove said it was important to ensure the district can provide a livable wage.

Chair Randy Burton, in favor of the salaries, asked Finance Director Margaret Blue about the impact of the recurring costs on the budget. She clarified it will be paid by the fund balance this year, but the state picks it up thereafter. 

According to Pender County Schools CFO Lisa Nowlin: “Next year, when we report our transportation expenses to the state, that data will determine our funding allocation for the following year. The transportation allotment will be adjusted to account for salary increases.”

The next three decades of pay scale increases are nominal, Breedlove showed, but at the end of a 32-year spectrum drivers and monitors would be making more than $22.

“We need to listen to our bus drivers because they are on the front lines every day,” Breedlove said. “Their feedback has been instrumental in shaping these improvements, and this wage increase allows us to attract and retain quality drivers.”

A survey the school conducted found pay, safety and improvement of working conditions concerned drivers. The latter includes dealing with disciplinary issues, whether a student gets out of a seat while the bus is moving, engages in a fight or uses profanity.

Radios will go into 110 buses and 10 transportation vehicles and help strengthen communication between the administration and drivers — the latter of whom currently use cellphones that may face dead zones throughout rural areas of the county. Immediate contact also bolsters safety measures, such as if a bus breaks down on a route or has an emergency to contend with.

Included in the purchase are holster radios for administrators who can quickly act upon concerns, as well as 25 base stations, two antennas and repeaters to reach the outskirts of the county, installation and potential tower rental cost.

“We hope to partner with the county and have tower space provided to us,” Breedlove said. 

Burton was concerned the district had underestimated the costs of radios needed. He suggested looking to see if the sheriff and EMS system could be utilized.

“It has a gazillion channels,” Burton said. “It may be something to look at, that we could get a channel devoted to the school system. That might save some money.”

Burton also suggested the school district look into whether other county departments had surplus radios that could be utilized.

“I’m in favor of it for the schools, it’s about our kids,” Burton said. “I just fear the radio number is low and they’ll be coming back for more money.”

According to Loren Macon, PCS’ director of technology services, who researched the radios, the VHF system needed likely wouldn’t be comparable with what’s already in place with the county. Estimates he garnered for the schools district’s radios are less expensive.

“This system will be more low-tech but also suits our needs,” Macon explained, noting it doesn’t have inter-operability with a more expensive existing radio network, which could be upward of $800,000.

“I’m no radio expert, I’m a computer guy, but I lean on expertise of vendors I communicate with who have assured me … with VHF we can cover the county,” he said.

The funding for the radios are a one-time purchase out of capital funding, while Chromebooks would be paid for every seven years.


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Shea Carver
Shea Carver
Shea Carver is the editor in chief at Port City Daily. A UNCW alumna, Shea worked in the print media business in Wilmington for 22 years before joining the PCD team in October 2020. She specializes in arts coverage — music, film, literature, theatre — the dining scene, and can often be tapped on where to go, what to do and who to see in Wilmington. When she isn’t hanging with her pup, Shadow Wolf, tending the garden or spinning vinyl, she’s attending concerts and live theater.

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