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VERIFY: No, there are not student bus drivers in NC

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said student bus drivers used to be a thing but aren't anymore.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — We got a message from a viewer that said: 

When I attended school, we used student bus drivers. Can they be utilized during the driver shortage?

 THE QUESTION:

Are there student bus drivers in North Carolina? 

OUR SOURCES:

THE ANSWER:

No, there are no student bus drivers in North Carolina.

WHAT WE FOUND: 

In an email from CMS, they told WCNC that no district in the state has student bus drivers. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said student bus drivers used to be a thing but aren't anymore. This changed in the mid-1990s when the federal government required bus drivers to have a commercial driver's license. 

In North Carolina, a person needs to be at least 18 years old and have six months of driving experience to get a CDL. 

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The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction tells WCNC that a number of current superintendents recall there were student bus drivers back when they were in high school. However, many of these school buses started and ended routes at the driver's home. 

Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.

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