Calvert School Bus Drivers Raise Concerns About Their Jobs During Budget Talks

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Bus drivers in Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) said they’re ready to do “whatever necessary” to protect their jobs as the district eyes possible budget cuts for the next fiscal year.

Dale Shaner, a CCPS bus driver, spoke at the Feb. 12 Board of Education (BOE) meeting to encourage the BOE to honor the October 2021 contract that granted a raise and a guaranteed workday to school bus drivers.

Shaner said that the bus drivers were not asking for additional compensation, but rather wanted the county to continue honoring the agreement provided in 2021. Shaner said that reducing the hours of bus drivers would impact the average paycheck for the work.

And while Shaner claimed the bus drivers did not want conflict or disruption, they were prepared to do “whatever necessary to protect our jobs, which support our families.”

The budget conversation for Calvert County Public Schools is ongoing, with BOE members and school staff anticipating fewer available funds from the state of Maryland this year. Staffing adjustments are among budget considerations.

Transportation was one of the items discussed as one with possible room for cuts going into this year’s budget conversations. JoAnn Cox of Public Works LLC also said in the group’s presentation on Feb. 12 that transportation was one of the more costly areas of the district’s budget and provided recommendations to cut costs in their report. The full report has not yet been posted, so whether or not those recommendations include bus drivers remains unclear.

---