By Audrey Dodgen/Staff Writer

While the school bus resting on Rock Island Avenue is there to support a large banner, other buses in the district’s fleet may face a similar fate — sitting idle — if the advertised plea for drivers goes unheeded.

The district has 12 routes, all of which are currently covered by full-time drivers. Jim McGavock, the district’s transportation director, said the need now is for drivers who can form a pool of substitutes.

“What worries me now is that I hardly have any subs. In fact, I don’t have any right now. If someone gets sick, I’m in trouble,” he said.

El Reno Superintendent Jeff Mills said the district has, in the past, generally had around five substitute drivers, but would like to be able to have as many as 10.

“We also have some certified staff members who have their bus driving certificate, and we have used them in the past,” he said.

In addition to filling in on daily routes, substitute drivers also frequently drive on field trips and activities. McGavock said during the slow season, drivers can work two or three days a week. During busier seasons, winter and spring, substitutes can drive four or five times a week.

“We have activity trips coming up and they will be during hours we have routes going on, and we won’t have anyone to fill them. The FCCLA trip, for example, is an overnight trip,” he said.

“We would like to have four or five subs at least, and they will probably learn two or three different routes.”

Mills said the need for substitutes varies, but is high in the winter because of illness and in spring because of the increased number of activity trips.

The state requires drivers to go through 25 hours of training before they can be added to the school’s roster.

“The state only offers that periodically, so we need to get people into the training,” Mills said.

“You want to have as many as you can to be there and help out when you need them.”

When they begin, full-time drivers are paid $9 per hour. Routes typically last an hour, though some routes into the district’s outer-lying areas can take as long as two hours to complete.

“Our school district is only 45 square miles, but our transportation district is right at 200 square miles,” Mills said.