Some believe the requirements to become a qualified driver are causing the shortage.
Companies operating Delaware's school buses are having trouble finding enough drivers as the new school year approaches.
About 160 contractors in the state operate between two to 200 buses for schools. According to a draft report from the Transportation Working Group, about 1,670 school buses were on the roads in Delaware last year.
More than 70 percent were run by contractors.
David Sutton runs the Sutton Bus Co. in Stanton. He tells The News Journal of Wilmington that finding qualified drivers can be difficult because of the job requirements. They include a commercial driver's license, background check and drug test, a physical exam, 12-hour course and a minimum of six hours of certified training.
School bus drivers earn from $14 to $16 an hour.
