Milwaukee school bus drivers needed; Lamers Bus Lines hiring 20

MILWAUKEE - Summer is coming to an end. But as your kids head back to school, will they have a ride?

Amy Wilson has been behind the wheel of a school bus for eight years. She is in her element. 

"It’s relaxing. You’re in your own little world, doing your job," said Wilson, Lamers Human Resources and a former driver. 

Amy Wilson

Wilson has a different job now, for Lamers Bus Lines – and she is looking for someone else to fill the seat. 

"It’s not just more people, it’s the right people," Wilson said. 

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Lamers runs school bus routes for school districts across Wisconsin – including Milwaukee Public Schools, South Milwaukee, and Cudahy. While early start was smooth, the manager said he still needs more drivers. 

"There’s still desperate need a big shortage of drivers all across the nation," said Dean Brown, Lamers Bus Lines. 

Brown said right now, Lamers has 70 drivers running 130 routes daily. He hopes to hire 20 more drivers – especially as the school year is about to be full gas. 

Dean Brown

"I feel confident that we’ll be there and get people to and fro, but again I would like to get back to where we were a few years ago, and we need drivers to do that with," Brown said. 

Brown said the pandemic is partially to blame for the lack of drivers. He said Lamers has not had a full staff since COVID. This year is no different. 

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"People are just not coming to work. We’re not getting the people in the workforce," Brown said. 

It is something Brown hopes to change. 

It can take about a month to go through the training to become a school bus driver, but company officials say they need you and want you to still apply.