High Point gives retroactive raises to school bus drivers

The High Point Regional High School Board of Education unanimously approved giving $2 per hour raises to four of the school’s bus drivers.

At the Sept. 21 school board meeting, vice president Spencer Arnold said the school is trying to make its bus driver positions more competitive because of the difficulty in hiring drivers right now.

“Many school districts have been unable to fill routes,” Superintendent Scott Ripley said. “Thankfully, we have some quality people who have been inspired to stay with us. While this is a significant increase, the cost of having to go out today to replace a route if we lost a driver is exponentially greater than the commitment we’re making here to our people.”

The raises are retroactive to Sept. 1.

“It’s not only cost-effective, but it’s best for our kids,” Ripley said. “These are quality people.”