Austintown bus drivers can earn bonuses

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Austintown bus drivers will have the opportunity to earn up to $2,400 each year with a new safety bonus plan the board of education approved.

The only stipulation is they have to stay safe on the road in order to earn the money.

The details of the safety bonus information and criteria are as follows: The bonus will be paid every three months – the beginning of the school year through Nov. 30, Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, and March 1 through the end of the school year – covering a nine-month period; each bonus will be in the amount of $800; the total amount a driver can earn will be $2,400.

A contracted bus driver works 178 days at 31/2 hours per day for a total of 623 hours.

A driver receiving all three safety bonuses would raise his or her contracted wage $3.85 per hour.

The 2016-17 bonus will be for two cycles – Dec. 1 through Feb. 28 and March 1 through the end of the school year in June.

The driver must meet the following criteria to qualify: The driver cannot be involved in a traffic crash while driving the school bus that is considered a chargeable crash; the driver cannot be issued and convicted of any moving violation while operating the school bus; the driver must follow all safety school bus rules and regulations; the driver must be contracted; and the driver may only miss five sick or unpaid days per trimester period.

Bonuses will be held until resolution of moving violations and supervisory review.