STN industry survey tracks the ages, experience, demographics and salaries of school bus professionals.

The results are in from STN’s 2007 “School Transportation Community Survey,” to which 636 responded, representing a maximum margin of sample error of +3.9 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. The survey was designed to take a snapshot of school bus professionals in order to identify such school bus industry trends as demographics, salary, experience and job responsibilities.

One figure that jumps out is the extrapolation that 53 percent of the nation’s public school children are now transported to and from school on the yellow school bus. Previous published figures have been closer to 48 percent, indicating ridership may well be on the rise. Of course, gas prices, which have steadily risen over the past several weeks, might have something to do with this data. The STN survey supports a statement made last September by NSTA that rising fuel prices were resulting in increased school bus ridership.

Of those responding to the survey, 612 indicated they work toward the operation of routes for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Percentages hovered around the 71 percent figure for K-8 and 69 percent for high school only.

On the question of gender, 65 percent reporting male and 35 percent reporting female. As far as age was concerned, 43 percent reported they fell within the 45- to 54-year category. In what was even more telling, 37 percent reported for the 55 to 64 category, indicating that 80 percent of survey respondents are within 20 years of the average national retirement age.

When it comes to salary, it’s not surprising that greater industry experience is valued as is advanced education, and those generally translate to better positions in bigger schools with higher compensation.

So, let’s get into the biting issue of salaries. The average annual compensation across the board was $58,300, as 36 percent of respondents fell within the $50,000 to $75,000 range. At small schools, or those with an enrollment of less than 500 students, the average compensation was $34,700 and increased to an average of $49,000 in medium-sized schools, or those with a range of 500 to 999 and 1,000 to 2,499 students. The latter segment represented the largest number of respondents at 21 percent. The compensation figures increased to an average of $59,500 at large schools (2,500 to 9,999 enrollment) and $82,300 at very large schools (10,000-plus students). Fifteen percent of the respondents said they earn between $75,000 to $100,000 a year.

As far as experience goes, respondents with more years of industry
experience are rewarded with higher compensation. Average compensation increases in relation to industry experience went from a low of $48,800 for 5 years or less to a high of $77,700 for 35 or more years.

Based on the number of years spent in school transportation, the average response was 19.9 years. Nineteen percent of respondents fell into the 15- to 19-year category, followed by: 20 to 24 years (17 percent); 25 to 29 years (16 percent); and 10 to 14 years (15 percent). Eleven percent cited 30 to 34 years invested in the industry, 4 percent said they had 35 to 39 years of school bus experience and 2 percent reported they had 40 or more years.

When broken down by work location, individual public schools sites and public school districts boasted the most experience at 19.4 years and 20.6 years, respectively. They were followed by Head Start agencies and “Other Schools” — identified as private, parochial and charter schools — at 15.2 years each. Industry experience was greatest at 22.1 years for those respondents hailing from schools with very large enrollments, followed by large schools (20.0 years), medium schools (18.3 years) and small schools (16.5 years).

The survey also showed an average span of 16.1 years that respondents said they have spent with their present employer. Generally, the older the pupil transporter, the longer they’ve stayed in one place, as those 65 years and older have remained with their current employer for an average of 19.6 years. Those in the 55 to 64 age group said they have been in the same place for an average of 18.1 years.

The study suggests that average years of school transportation involvement only increases as these professionals grow older because there appears to be limited mobility outside the industry. Or, one could argue, school transportation employees remain because they love what they do.

Several things stand out when age groups are analyzed by their educational background. The survey found that those under the age of 45 have a significantly higher rate of college graduates. This contrasts with 42 percent of those in the 45 to 54 and the 55 to 64 age groups who said they have “some college education.”

Perhaps the most interesting factoid is the tri-modal pattern exhibited by the 65-and-older crowd, whereby 30 percent are high school graduates, another 30 percent have some college experience and, most impressively, 33 percent have a post-graduate education. This makes the oldest age group the least educated, moderately educated and the most educated group of all respondents.