Negotiating pay when I have been out of work - 9 months and counting

A recruiter asked for my salary expectations on a first call as I look for work as a school bus driver. This is my first time dealing with any of this. I looked up ranges in Hartford and they vary a lot. How do you research fairly?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 9 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Benefits matter too. A slightly lower rate with better coverage was better for me.