The Missing School Bus Drivers: A look at employment data before and after the COVID-19 pandemic Archives

The skills opportunity

Job reports move markets because they’re the strongest signal economists have about the strength of the U.S. economy. But worker productivity is just as important to economic growth; it’s just harder to measure or capture.

Stay up to date with Data Lab

Please complete all fields.

Enter a valid email address

By clicking the button below, you acknowledge that you have read our Privacy Statement and agree to our Terms of Use.

Your privacy is assured.

Filter by:

November 29, 2021

Wanted: Drivers for yellow buses

by Nela Richardson, Ph.D.

November 29, 2021

Bus Driver Employment Trends

Bus drivers took a big hit from the COVID-19 shutdown. Schools were shuttered and workers were furloughed. After classrooms reopened, employment levels rebounded, but school bus driver ranks were 14% smaller in September 2021 than they were in September 2019.

Employment dropped most significantly for 25- to 34-year-old drivers. Workers in this age group fell by ...

November 29, 2021

Summary of The Missing School Bus Drivers

This fall brought school re-openings and a return to in-class learning on a wide scale. It also brought a scramble to get bus drivers back behind the wheel. While most school drivers answered the call and returned to work, we found that about 13% of them are missing in action.

The ADP Research Institute used anonymized ...

November 29, 2021