HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Students in Hopewell boarded the school bus and found their Superintendent behind the wheel as the district works through a bus driver shortage.
After canceling school in the spring due to a lack of drivers, Dr. Jeff Beltz decided to get his CDL certification to help out.
“It’s nice to say hi to kids, as far as the young ones, I can high-five them when they come on the bus, and you try to get them home,” said Dr. Jeff Beltz, Superintendent of Hopewell Area School District. “Sometimes the kids don’t know who the superintendent is, so it keeps you humble and puts you back down on the ground level.”
So far, Beltz has driven high school, elementary school, and students with disabilities.
Hopewell offers a free CDL training course, and Beltz said more drivers will be joining the force very soon.
“There are a variety of other people who did as well, including our local fire department,” said Beltz. “They’re not as far along on the course as I am, but we’ve also had some parents and local citizens join the course as well.”
But even with the extra hands, Hopewell is still down four drivers.
“We are celebrating perhaps me doing this, but we have a staff of people that do it every day, and the things that we ask them to do…it’s a lot,” said Beltz.
He’s hoping his involvement will inspire others to take the course.
“If I can go further and do a little commercial and say ‘hey, we need help too’, and other places do as well,” said Beltz, “If people are afraid to give it a shot, I don’t look at myself as being special; if I can do it, they can do it.”
To sign up for the CDL training,Ho head to the district’s website under ‘employment." That is where you’ll find the link to sign up.
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