Iowa School Bus Driver Fired Over ‘Frequent’ Cellphone Use

July 20, 2026

A former Clayton Ridge Community School District bus driver was denied unemployment benefits after a judge determined he repeatedly and recklessly used his cellphone while transporting students, reported Iowa Capital News.

Donald Schneider began working for the Iowa district as a bus driver Sept. 1, 2022. He was placed on administrative leave in March fired by the school board the following month.

The investigation began after Schneider reported an unspecified incident aboard his bus March 10, prompting district officials to review security-camera footage. During that review, officials reportedly observed Schneider using his cellphone while driving, in violation of district policy and Iowa law.

Officials then reportedly reviewed additional recordings that allegedly showed what Administrative Law Judge Rebecca Stonawski described as “substantial, frequent and egregious use” of the phone while Schneider was behind the wheel.

In one instance, Schneider was reportedly holding the cellphone with both hands while driving students at night. District officials said via the article that Schneider acknowledged using his phone improperly and knew that doing so while driving was illegal.

Stonawski recently denied Schneider’s application for unemployment benefits, concluding that his behavior amounted to workplace misconduct. Schneider “was not simply careless,” Stonawski stated via the article. She said his repeated phone use showed he was “knowingly and recklessly using his phone while driving school children” and demonstrated deliberate disregard for both the district’s interests and the safety of students aboard his bus.

In her decision, Stonawski also noted that the district had previously experienced driving incidents involving the loss of life, although she did not elaborate. According to local news reporters, Schneider could not be reached for comment.

Written with the assistance of AI.