Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools held a hiring fair Wednesday, Sept. 16, to recruit bus drivers for 89 open positions across the district.

The event at the Northpointe Transportation Center on Northpointe Industrial Boulevard gave applicants a chance to meet hiring managers, complete applications and learn about open roles, QC News reported. The district counted 89 bus driver vacancies as of Sept. 7, according to CMS officials. WCCB Charlotte described the event as the district's first major transportation hiring event of the school year.

CMS operates nearly 1,200 vehicles, including school buses, activity buses and maintenance vehicles. The fleet logs about 99,500 miles each day to transport more than 71,000 students. It is the largest school bus fleet in North Carolina.

The shortage has been felt across the district since the school year began Aug. 25. At that point, CMS had 98 driver vacancies, and some drivers were pulling double routes in the afternoons to cover gaps, CMS Chief Operating Officer Tim Ivey said in a Sept. 1 WCCB Charlotte report. Morning on-time bus arrivals climbed from 75% on Aug. 26 to 91% by the end of that first week, Ivey said at the time.

The district offers its own certified commercial driver's license (CDL) training classes, meaning applicants do not need a CDL to apply. The hiring effort is part of CMS's stated goal of reaching zero transportation vacancies.

Anthony Melton, CMS assistant director of transportation operations, pitched the job at the fair. "You are the first educator that students see before they go to school. And you are the last educator that students see when they go home," Melton said.

Ballantyne-area schools including Ballantyne Ridge High School, Ballantyne Elementary and Community House Middle School posted notices about the hiring fair on their websites, directing families to spread the word.

CMS Transportation Executive Director Delvico Dunn told WBTV on Aug. 25 that the district holds CDL training classes monthly and expected to onboard 14 to 20 new drivers within two weeks of that date.

CMS officials told QC News that more hiring events are planned in the coming months, though no specific dates have been announced. Applicants who missed the Sept. 16 fair can apply online through the CMS transportation services page.