In Stafford, there is push to put coaches behind the wheel of a bus.

The superintendent says his main concern is keeping regular drivers on their assigned school routes rather than pulling them for games.

“I received more complaints concerns and rear end chewings from parents whose children had trouble getting home from school because of a substitute bus driver,” said superintendent H.D. Chambers.

But athletes worry about coaches who already put in long days then taking a turn behind the wheel.

Many working from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on game days, getting just six hours of sleep and then coming back to school next day at 7 a.m.

“We knew there were trips coaches couldn't drive,” said Chambers.

Chambers  a former bus driving football coach himself emphasizes it is strictly voluntary. Stafford though  is encouraging and ready to pay for all its coaches to get a commercial drivers license .

11 News checked around and found that in smaller districts like Angleton, Aldine or Tomball, it is not uncommon for coaches to act as bus drivers.

Even the Houston school district has a handful of coaches who do. They are typically paid extra for the duty and in some places, drive sports teams other than their own.

The Stafford school district also hopes to save  $30,000 in  overtime for bus drivers. But some fear another cost for coaches.

“They must have a focused mind, on what their task is, on what the ultimate goal is, to get the best performance out of our student athletes as possible,” said Joe Longoria, a Stafford parent.

The board should decide this month if the coaches as driver’s effort will get a formal push.