Bus drivers sought

If you think you might enjoy driving in portions of rural Osage County and getting paid for it, this might be the way.

Dean Hix, director of Transportation and Maintenance for Pawhuska Public Schools, said Tuesday the school district is in dire need of additional bus drivers.

The district normally has seven bus drivers. Right now it is down to five, and school bus routes are doubled up, Hix said. He’s hoping he can find people who would like a part-time job that involves about 3-5 hours a day of driving.

“Even if it’s somebody out there that is retired and needs something to do,” he said, though he added that the process of getting someone on the road will be quicker if they already have a valid commercial driver’s license.

Once you account for taxes, Pawhuska pays about $14.25 an hour to bus drivers, Hix said. He explained that school districts across the nation are currently having trouble hiring enough qualified drivers to operate school buses.

“It can be an easy way to pay your property tax,” he said, naming a potential point of attraction for those who might be interested.

If you think you might be interested, you can call the district’s central administrative office at 918-287-1265 for more information. You can also fill out an application online, or stop by the administrative office, at 1801 McKenzie Rd., and pick up a paper copy of the application, Hix said.