Dave Cooper
@metacoop.bsky.social
State and local policy wonk at the Economic Policy Institute (@epi.org). Director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network (@EARN.us). Posts my own.
As Congress debates no tax on tips, important to recognize just how unserious an effort to help working people it is. Raising the federal minimum wage would deliver nearly 18x as much income to workers. www.epi.org/blog/increas...
June 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
As Congress debates no tax on tips, important to recognize just how unserious an effort to help working people it is. Raising the federal minimum wage would deliver nearly 18x as much income to workers. www.epi.org/blog/increas...
Bus driver pay grew more slowly than workers overall for the decade leading up to the pandemic. In the last few years, as wage growth has been relatively strong for most low- and middle-wage workers, bus drivers weekly pay hasn't kept up with inflation. (4/6)
November 14, 2024 at 4:57 PM
Bus driver pay grew more slowly than workers overall for the decade leading up to the pandemic. In the last few years, as wage growth has been relatively strong for most low- and middle-wage workers, bus drivers weekly pay hasn't kept up with inflation. (4/6)
The primary issue driving the bus driver shortage is dismal pay. The median school bus driver makes $565 a week - 43% less than the overall U.S. median weekly wage. Surprising to me is that bus driver weekly pay, adjusted for inflation, actually went *down* since 2019. (3/6)
November 14, 2024 at 4:57 PM
The primary issue driving the bus driver shortage is dismal pay. The median school bus driver makes $565 a week - 43% less than the overall U.S. median weekly wage. Surprising to me is that bus driver weekly pay, adjusted for inflation, actually went *down* since 2019. (3/6)
The pandemic caused a massive drop in school bus driver employment, but the country had been steadily losing school bus drivers since 2009, a product of the state/local austerity of the 2010s. Total # of drivers is up 3.5% since fall 2023, but still down 12% from 2019 and 31%(!) from 2009. (2/6)
November 14, 2024 at 4:57 PM
The pandemic caused a massive drop in school bus driver employment, but the country had been steadily losing school bus drivers since 2009, a product of the state/local austerity of the 2010s. Total # of drivers is up 3.5% since fall 2023, but still down 12% from 2019 and 31%(!) from 2009. (2/6)