Nearly 1 in 3 Durham bus drivers out Monday after payroll glitch delays paychecks

Nearly 1 in 3 Durham Public Schools bus drivers did not report for work Monday, after a payroll glitch delayed some drivers’ paychecks.

The district has 160 school bus drivers, DPS spokesperson Crystal Roberts said. About 48 drivers were out Monday morning.

“We are currently seeing 15 more drivers out than the average, but currently all our routes are covered,” she said, adding there were no delays.

Some drivers were not paid last week, but Roberts could not say if that was why more drivers were out.

“We are currently working to find out why some of workers were not paid on time,” she said.

The district submitted drivers’ hours on time, but some workers did not receive their checks after a payroll processing glitch. DPS issued an apology and $100 gift cards while the matter is investigated.

The DPS school board raised the minimum wage for bus drivers last year to $17 an hour, making its drivers among the highest paid in the state.

DPS had warned of possible school bus delays Monday morning, in tweets in English and Spanish.

Wake County is experiencing delays with more than 150 bus drivers out primarily because of COVID-19, the News & Observer previously reported. Thousands of parents and students had to provide their own transportation with many drivers being out.

This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 10:21 AM.