What does a School Bus Driver do?
As a school bus driver, you are responsible for bringing children to and from school, ensuring timely pick-up and safe drop-off in the process. Bus routes may be in highly-populated, high-traffic urban areas; on the other end of the spectrum, routes may be in very rural areas with poor road conditions. In any area, driver's may provide transportation for events, including field trips, during and outside of school hours, or for private groups. While you are on the road, you are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for everyone inside the bus.
Training for school bus driver's includes completing specialized courses and obtaining the required driver's license. This usually involves passing theoretical and practical exams. You must also keep a clean driving record, provide a police record check and pass drug and alcohol tests. Apart from driving, integral skills to have include patience, attentiveness to your environment and effective decision-making.
- transport students to and from school and special events
- adhere to an assigned schedule
- arrive at pick-up and drop-off points in a timely manner
- ensure the safety of all bus passengers
- complete maintenance records and incident reports
- maintain a high standard of cleanliness inside the bus
- conduct daily inspections of the vehicle prior to operation
- recognize and report any required bus maintenance
- completion of a government-certified driver training program
- professional driver's licence with school bus endorsement
- 3+ years professional bus driving experience
- 1+ year working with children
- clean five-year driving abstract and no at-fault accidents within the last five years
- familiarity with the assigned driving zone
- strong interpersonal and communication skills
- clear police record check
- valid first aid certificate
School Bus Driver Salaries near Canada
Average Base Pay
School Bus Driver Career Path
Learn how to become a School Bus Driver, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
School Bus Driver Insights
First Student“Not enough hour No benefit Not enough hour No benefit Not enough hour No benefitNot enough hour No benefit”
Pulaski County Special School District“This was a great opportunity for those who are full time college students or parents.”
First Student“Everyone is so nice and great to work with.”
Durham School Services“I enjoy this job for the time being and look forward to another great year.”
Los Angeles USD“Good pay and I make good money”
Voyago“You have to work two jobs to make enough money to live a simple life.”
“Really good management you don’t work on holidays and weekends.”
Prince Georges County Public Schools (MD)“You get really good benefits and you’re in a union.”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of a School Bus Driver
When working as a School Bus Driver, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are VERBAL Communication, Outstanding Communication, Load Unload, English Language and Non CDL.
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I was just offered an “opportunity”. About half of the workload of a Sr. manager was given to me as they think I could do a better job. I’m a manager (not sr). This is on top of my current workload. I was given a raise, but not enough in my opinion. I asked if I’d be a Sr. Mgr but they said in a year. I feel like this is not fair but I don’t know how to say it . My workload is going to almost dbl. I’m confident that I would do a better job than the Sr. Mgr. Do I just take it & hope they promote?