SNOW HILL, Md. - School bus drivers in Worcester County are contracted, meaning they drive their own buses.
Contractor Harry Wimbrow says the cost of maintenance and fuel is the highest it has ever been.
"I didn't say I want to retire a millionaire but it has to be profitable. And just like everything else that's going on in the world from maintenence to fuel to everything else it has increased rapidly and drastically in the last six months, and something needs to be done,” he said.
Worcester County Commissioners voted 4 to 3 against a one dollar pay increase and a three cent per-mile increase in maintenance for bus drivers.
Commissioner Madison Bunting argued bus drivers did get a pay increase, just not as much as they had asked for.
"I feel for the bus drivers but they had a contract they worked on and they got something and maybe you got halfway there this year and if we start jumping in and doing the negotiating for the school system I think we're creating a bad situation,” he said.
Commissioner Ted Elder, a former bus driver, says not giving bus drivers this pay bump could lead to a driver shortage.
"With this situation I don't know it might, you might see some differences in the summer school run. I've had a couple drivers tell me when that failed they're not even planning on doing that because they can make more money letting the buses sit and having another job,” he said.
Elder says the increase would cost about 135,000 of the county’s general fund.
Opponents argue this is a decision for the Board of Education, not the County Commissioners.