driver shortage study - naptfor pupil transportation • the number of routes run in the am or pm...

1

National Association for Pupil

Transportation

Driver Shortage Study

Fall 2016

2


Transportation

7%

0%

0%

0%

1%

1%

3%

3%

3%

3%

3%

4%

5%

68%

Other

School Board Member

Industry Association Director/Officer

Purchasing Agent/Manager

Government Official (State/Local/Federal)

Mechanic/Maintenance Technician

School Superintendent/Administrator

Maintenance/Shop Manager/Supervisor

Operations Managers/Supervisor

Safety Manager/Supervisor

Executive or Other Managers

Driver Trainer

Bus Driver

Transportation/Fleet Director/Mgr./Supervisor

All Respondents

Q1. What is your job title/position?

• Two-thirds of respondents have the job title of transportation/fleet director, or transportation/fleet manager or transportation/fleet supervisor.

Job Title/Position – All Respondents

N=1053

3


Transportation

• The number of routes run in the am or pm was used as a proxy for the number of buses that a company or school district has, and that number was divided into quintiles (20% increments). The bottom 20% of respondents cover up to 13 routes in the am or pm, while the largest 20% cover more than 150 routes.

20%

20%

20%

20%

20%

Up to 13 14 - 30

31 - 60 61 - 150

More than 150

Number of Routes – All Respondents

Q20. How many routes do you run on a daily basis?

N=1012

4


Transportation

• The drivers for most respondents’ companies and school districts do not belong to a union.

23%

21%56%

Fully Unionized Partially Unionized Non-Unionized

Union vs. Non-Union – All Respondents

Q22. Do any of your school bus drivers belong to a labor union?

N=1032

5


Transportation

• Roughly one-third of respondents work in the Midwest region, and another third work in the South region.

18%

32%32%

18%

Northeast Midwest

South West

Geographic Regions – All Respondents

Q23. In which state do you work?

N=1004

6


Transportation

Driver Shortage -Overview

7


Transportation

45%

28% 28%36%

47%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

First Quintile ofRoutes

( Up to 13)(A)

Second Quintile ofRoutes(14-30)

(B)

Third Quintile ofRoutes(31-60)

(C)

Fourth Quintile ofRoutes

(61-150)(D)

Fifth Quintile ofRoutes

( More than 150)(E)

Severe / Desperate

• The driver shortage is reportedly a more severe problem among the smallest 20% of companies and school districts as well as the largest 20% of companies and school districts, compared to those that are medium sized.

N=1012

Degree of School Bus Driver Shortage – Number of Routes

Q2. How would you describe your degree of school bus driver shortage?

BC BCD

8


Transportation

59%

37%

25%

14% 11%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Driver retention isgetting much more

difficult(A)

Driver retention isgetting a littlemore difficult

(B)

Driver retention isstaying about

the same(C)

Driver retention isgetting a little

easier(D)

Driver retention isgetting much

easier(E)

Severe / Desperate

• There is a positive correlation between those who believe the problem is severe or desperate, and their perception that driver retention is getting more difficult.

N=1040

Degree of School Bus Driver Shortage – Driver Retention


BCDE

CDE

9


Transportation

56%

25% 23%

12%8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Driver shortage isgetting much worse

(A)

Driver shortage isgetting a little worse

(B)

Driver shortage isstaying about the same

(C)

Driver shortage isgetting a little better

(D)

Driver shortage isgetting much better

(E)

Severe / Desperate

N=1044

Degree of School Bus Driver Shortage – Shortage Trend


BCDE

D

• More than half of respondents (56%) who indicated that driver shortage is getting to be much worse, also indicated that driver shortage is severe or desperate for their company or school district.

10


Transportation

Driver Shortage -Magnitude of the Problem

11


Transportation

52%

34%

13%

1%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Driver shortage is my number oneproblem/concern

Driver shortage is amajor problem, but not

my worst problem

Driver shortage is a minor problem

Driver shortage is noproblem for me

% of Respondents

• For more than half of all respondents (52%), dealing with a shortage of bus drivers is their number one problem or concern.

Q3. Which of the following best describes the degree that driver shortage is a problem.

School Bus Driver Shortage Problem

N=992

12


Transportation

44%49% 50% 53%

62%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


( Up to 13)(A)


(B)


(C)


(61-150)(D)


( More than 150)(E)

Number One Problem/Concern

• Sixty-two percent (62%) of respondents from the largest companies and school districts report that dealing with a shortage of bus drivers is their number one problem or concern, compared to those in the bottom three quintiles.

N=942 ABC

School Bus Driver Shortage Problem – Number of Routes

Q3. Which of the following best describes the degree that driver shortage is a problem.

13


Transportation

Driver Shortage –Trend

14


Transportation

43%

27%22%

5% 2%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Driver shortage isgetting much worse

Driver shortage isgetting a little worse

Driver shortage isstaying about the same

Driver shortage isgetting a little better

Driver shortage isgetting much better

% of Respondents

• Seventy percent (70%) of all respondents believe the trend for having a shortage of bus drivers is getting a little worse, or much worse.

School Bus Driver Shortage – Trend

Q5. How would you describe the school bus driver shortage trend for your company/school district?

N=1044

15


Transportation

Factors in Ability to Recruit and Retain Drivers

16


Transportation

88%

89%

30%

33%

43%

59%

77%

38%

57%

50%

38%

Bus Driver (K)

Mechanic/Maintenance Technician (J)

Executive or Other Manager (I)

Industry Association Director/Officer (H)

Government Official (State/Local/Federal) (G)

Safety Manager/Supervisor (F)

Driver Trainer (E)

Operations Manager/Supervisor (D)

Maintenance/Shop Manager/Supervisor (C)

Transportation/Fleet Director/Mgr /Supervisor (B)

School Superintendent/Administrator (A)

Major Factor

• The chart below shows the percentage of respondents in each job classification who believe that the rate of pay is a major factor in their ability to recruit and retain bus drivers.

N=976

Major Factor – Pay – Job Title

I

I

I

ABDI

ABDI

ABCDFGI

Q6. For each of the following, please indicate whether it is a major factor, a minor factor, or no factor in your ability to recruit and retain school bus drivers.

17


Transportation

47% 45%

62%55%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Northeast(A)

Midwest(B)

South(C)

West(D)

Major Factor

• A larger percentage of respondents in the South and West regions believe the rate of pay is a major factor in their ability to recruit and retain bus drivers, compared to respondents in the Northeast and Midwest regions.

N=999

AB


B

Major Factor – Pay – Region

18


Transportation

53%58%

39%44%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Northeast(A)

Midwest(B)

South(C)

West(D)

Major Factor

• A higher percentage of respondents in the Northwest and Midwest regions believe benefits are a major factor in their ability to recruit and retain drivers, while a previous slide showed that those in the South and West are more likely to believe that pay is a major factor.

N=996

C


CD

Major Factor – Benefits – Region

19


Transportation

62%

33%

41%

33%

43%

50%

56%

59%

57%

44%

44%

Bus Driver (K)

Mechanic/Maintenance Technician (J)

Executive or Other Manager (I)

Industry Association Director/Officer (H)

Government Official (State/Local/Federal) (G)

Safety Manager/Supervisor (F)

Driver Trainer (E)

Operations Manager/Supervisor (D)

Maintenance/Shop Manager/Supervisor (C)

Transportation/Fleet Director/Mgr /Supervisor (B)

School Superintendent/Administrator (A)

Major Factor

• Bus drivers are more likely than transportation/fleet directors to believe that the number of hours that are available to work is a major factor in their ability to recruit and retain drivers.

N=974

Major Factor – Hours Available to Work – Job Title

B


20


Transportation

46%50%

41%

51%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Northeast(A)

Midwest(B)

South(C)

West(D)

Major Factor

• A larger percentage of respondents in the Midwest and West regions believe that the availability of hours is a major factor in recruiting and retaining bus drivers.

N=997

C


C

Major Factor – Hours Available to Work – Region

21


Transportation

48% 51% 49% 45%37%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


( Up to 13)(A)


(B)


(C)


(61-150)(D)


( More than 150)(E)

Major Factor

• Respondents from larger organizations are less likely than those in the bottom three quintiles to believe that the availability of hours is a major factor in recruiting and retaining bus drivers.

N=1005

E E E

Major Factor – Hours Available to Work – Number of Routes


22


Transportation

52%

42%

51%

31%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Northeast(A)

Midwest(B)

South(C)

West(D)

Major Factor

• Obtaining the CDL is believed to be less of a factor in recruiting and retaining drivers in the West region than in other regions.

N=997

BD


D

Major Factor – Obtaining a CDL – Region

BD

23


Transportation

38%43%

48%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All Drivers in a Union(A)

Some Drivers in a Union(B)

No Drivers in a Union(C)

Major Factor

• Nearly half of all respondents from non-union companies and school districts (48%), believe obtaining the CDL is a major factor in their ability to recruit and retain bus drivers.

N=1023

A

Major Factor – Obtaining a CDL – Union


24


Transportation

Recruiting Drivers

25


Transportation

72%

61%

44%38%

17%

41%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Internet Newspaper ads Bulletin boards inlocal community

Flyers Billboards Other

% of Respondents

• Most respondents advertise for bus drivers on the Internet (72%) and in newspaper ads (61%).

Advertising For School Bus Drivers

Q10. Where do you advertise for bus drivers? (Check all that apply)

N=1053

26


Transportation

73%

59%

6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Online Paper applications Other

% of Respondents

• Most respondents accept electronic applications online as well as paper applications, with online applications being more prevalent.

Accepting Applications

Q11. How does your company/school district accept applications for drivers? (Check all that apply)

N=1053

27


Transportation

82%

42%

25%

14%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Transportationdepartment

HR department Board of Education Other

% of Respondents

• Most respondents indicated that their transportation department has hiring authority.

• The percentages below total to more than 100% as respondents were invited to select all applicable options.

Hiring Decision Authority

Q12. Who has the authority to make the hiring decisions for drivers in your company/school district? (Check all that apply)

N=1053

28


Transportation

27

2321

0

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36




Average Number of Days

• Respondents whose drivers belong to a union report that their application and hiring process takes about one week longer, on average, than for those whose drivers do not belong to a labor union.

• The overall average (mean) for all respondents is 23 days, while the median (mid point) number of days is 14.

N=908

C

Length of Hiring Process – Union

Q13. On average, how long is your hiring process (number of days from submission of application until new hire is informed)?

29


Transportation

Retaining Drivers

30


Transportation

• More than half of all respondents (58%) believe the trend in driver retention is getting a little more difficult, or much more difficult for their company or school district.

25%

33%

34%

6%

2%

Driver retention is getting much more difficult Driver retention is getting a little more difficult

Driver retention is staying about the same Driver retention is getting a little easier

Driver retention is getting much easier

Trend in Driver Retention

Q17. How would you describe the trend in driver retention for your company/school district?

N=1040

31


Transportation

52% 52%

65%57%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Northeast(A)

Midwest(B)

South(C)

West(D)

Much more difficult / Little more difficult

• A significantly larger percentage of respondents from the South region believe it is getting more difficult to retain drivers than respondents from the Northeast and Midwest regions.

N=995

Trend in Driver Retention – Region


AB

32


Transportation

59%54%

43%

63%69%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


( Up to 13)(A)


(B)


(C)


(61-150)(D)


( More than 150)(E)


• A smaller percentage of respondents whose company or school district covers 31-60 routes every am or pm believe that it is getting more difficult to retain drivers, compared to other respondents.

N=942

C

Trend in Driver Retention – Number of Routes


C

CBC

33


Transportation

48%

65%59%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%





• Organizations whose drivers belong to a labor union are the most optimistic about the future of retaining school bus drivers.

N=1032

A

Trend in Driver Retention – Union


A

34


Transportation

64% 61%

51%44%

29%

20%14%

19%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

RetirementPlan

MedicalInsurance

DentalInsurance

VisionInsurance

AttendanceBonus

Referral Bonus

SafetyBonus

Other

% of Respondents

• The chart below shows the percentage of respondents who offer the various types of financial incentives in order to retain their bus drivers.

Financial Incentives to Retain Drivers

Q18. What financial incentives do you have in place to retain drivers? (Check all that apply).

N=1053

driver shortage study - naptfor pupil transportation • the number of routes run in the am or pm...

Documents