KALAMAZOO, Mich. — School bus drivers in Kalamazoo will be earning a bit more when the next school year begins this fall.
The Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a contract agreement with the Kalamazoo Support Personnel bargaining unit that increases the starting rate for bus drivers by more than $4 per hour.
Last school year the district struggled to fill openings with starting pay ranging from $14.60 to $18.76 per hour. Now for the 2023-2024 school year drivers will start with an hourly rate of $19. More experienced new hires could be offered up to $23 per hour. Drivers who decline health insurance will be paid an additional $3.50 per hour, and attendance increases will also be available.
The drivers' union previously approved the new contract, which goes into effect before classes begin on August 28.
