Henrico County Public Schools’ 413 full-time bus drivers not only ensure students’ safe transportation to and from school, they welcome students to each new school day, lend an understanding ear and serve as an important link between families and schools. The division will recognize and reward its drivers’ dedication with a significant pay boost, effective March 1. The new $22.98 minimum hourly rate is an increase of nearly $4 per hour — or 20.63% — over the current starting pay rate of $19.05.
The raise reflects the Henrico School Board’s commitment to prioritize employee compensation and job satisfaction and the need to remain competitive in recruiting bus drivers during a national staffing shortage. The adjustment, coupled with a potential annual raise in July, affirms HCPS as a pay leader for bus drivers in central Virginia.
As part of the division’s annual budget development process, the school board championed salary increases for all HCPS employees. Board members stressed the need for immediate action to address bus driver pay and recruitment. As a result, bus drivers will see an increase in their paychecks beginning in March and move up on the pay scale.
Besides offering drivers immediate help, the boost will be a boon to their future earnings. Future divisionwide pay raises will be based on their new hourly rate and pay grade. This means all current and newly hired drivers would also be eligible for a raise in July as part of any divisionwide pay increase.
Key highlights of the bus driver pay increase include:
- Increased minimum hourly rate: The minimum hourly rate for bus drivers will be $22.98 per hour, a significant 20.63% increase from the previous starting rate of $19.05 per hour.
- Increased pay for existing drivers: Current HCPS bus drivers will see a pay increase between 12.44% and 20.63% depending on their current hourly rate.
- Fiscal year 2025 budget: The school board, working in collaboration with the division’s funding partners, is confident the county manager’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal will prioritize bus driver compensation and include additional personnel funding to address critical driver shortages. The county manager will present his budget plan to the Henrico Board of Supervisors on March 12.
Although transportation dispatchers and administrators are not eligible for the March 1 pay increase or pay scale adjustment, they will see a pay increase as part of any divisionwide raise that is included in the FY 2025 budget.
Henrico County Public Schools’ Department of Pupil Transportation uses a fleet of 658 vehicles to transport more than 28,000 students to and from school each school day. HCPS buses travel more than 10 million miles each year, including daily routes, field trips and travel to sporting competitions. Read more: https://www.henricoschools.us/o/hcps/page/pupil-transportation.