Governor Josh Stein has proclaimed that this week from Monday to Friday as School Bus Driver Week in North Carolina, recognizing the important role bus drivers play in the state's education system. In his announcement, Stein noted the crucial role these drivers have in ensuring students' safe and timely commutes, even in challenging road conditions, contributing to students' educational success, as reported by the Office of the Governor.

Addressing the need to resolve staffing shortages affecting the state, the Governor highlighted a concerning vacancy rate from 2023, where there was a 13 percent shortfall in the number of bus drivers required to maintain an efficient transportation system for North Carolina’s students. These vacancies have resulted in longer commute times, extended walks for students, and less reliable schedules for families. In his proclamation, Governor Stein insisted, "North Carolina's bus drivers are a vital engine in our students' success," highlighting the backbone that these drivers represent within the educational journey of more than 620,000 students ferried across the state on a daily basis, according to the Governor's office.

Joining Governor Stein in his call for enhanced compensation and conditions for school bus drivers, Mo Green, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, acknowledged the contribution of the drivers to both the state and its younger citizens. Green bolstered the Governor's message by advocating for the acknowledgment and material support of the drivers' expertise, "I join Governor Stein in calling for increased pay and respect for our talented bus drivers," Green highlighted, in a statement obtained by the Governor's office.

Governor Stein's proclamation highlights the state's commitment to education and urges collective action to recognize the important role of bus drivers, a view also supported by Superintendent Green who added, "Every child in North Carolina deserves the opportunity to succeed academically, and that includes reliable transportation to and from school," he told the Office of the Governor.