LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Wilson County School board member is worried the district can lose bus drivers.
Several have sent him letters, worried about how their wages are calculated and fearing they could lose their jobs.
Joseph Padilla is new in the role of a Wilson County School Board member.
The retired Marine Corp veteran said he didn't know the biggest battle in the job would involve being a voice for school bus drivers.
"When these bus drivers, you know, when you hear from three or four of them that — they think no one cares about them. You know, I'm somebody that — I care. I care about everybody," Padilla said.
Padilla said after riding the school bus a few times, drivers started emailing him anonymously, expressing the same fears.
"They are absolutely afraid for their jobs. You know that they love it; they do it for the kids," he said.
Padilla posted himself reading the letters on Facebook. He said overcrowded buses, disciplining students and pay are the biggest issues.
He said drivers are telling him the district has recently switched to a GPS system to monitor when drivers are actually driving. They worry it will mean a cut in pay and possibly the loss of their health benefits.
"One lady reached out, 'so there's 2.5 hours that I don't have that I've drove, and no one can answer what happens in that situation because it's not on the GPS,' Padilla reads from one of the letters.
Padilla said he is representing himself and not the school board by addressing these concerns.
The school district officially issued the following statement:
"Our district values and appreciates all of our school bus drivers for all that they do, especially in an era where there's a national driver shortage. We're here to support and protect our employees through a process administered by our Human Resources Department. Our employees are always highly encouraged to reach out to us if they have any questions or concerns."
- Wilson County Schools
