An exciting part-time job is available right in your backyard — as a school bus driver! Of all the part-time employment available, a school bus driver is a great option. . This job has it all:
- Deeply rewarding experiences
- Competitive pay and limited benefits are available
- Free Training and Licensing – We do it all for you!
- No prior education needed
- It keeps you active and involved in your community
Right now, you can decide to become a school bus driver with us at Rohrer Bus. With over a hundred years of service to communities across the state, we know school buses. Start this new chapter in your life with the best company around.
How to Become a School Bus Driver
To help you understand the process of becoming a school bus driver, we have broken down everything you need to know into three main sections:
– Benefits of being a part time bus driver.
– Qualifications and requirements.
– How to get a bus driving license.
In the first part, we discuss which types of people usually love the job. We will show how part-time work as a school bus driver will provide a perfect solution to your employment needs.
The second area focuses on the basic prerequisites for becoming a school bus driver. We’re certain you have everything you need already — you just need to undergo some standard screening processes and tests before we put you behind the wheel.
The third section centers on the instruction we will provide you. We pay for all the costs of training and testing. The short period of education we offer our employees will prepare you for everything you’ll need to know.
Benefits of Being a Part-Time Bus Driver
The advantages of choosing work as a school bus driver are countless. Like a multiplication machine, this job takes what you put in and gives back even more. But the choice to begin this new path starts with you.
Jumping Into the Driver’s Seat
Life presents us with decisions. Picking which road to follow determines our destination. It becomes our duty to select the best option — we owe it to ourselves.
We all want to end up at the same place — a life filled with happiness, love and meaningful relationships. But how do we get there? One way involves picking the right job.
A school bus driver works in a positive environment — surrounded by laughing children, their thankful parents and appreciative community members.
Today, you can choose to become a part-time school bus driver. This highly rewarding job will enrich your life by providing job satisfaction and a lasting connection with your community.
Hail to the Bus Driver
People love school bus drivers. Anyone inclined to remember their time in school will likely recall their bus driver. If you follow this career route, you will provide a new generation of smiling faces with a friend they will never forget.
Regardless of your situation, if you love making people happy, then becoming a bus driver will offer you the perfect path to personal fulfillment.
Your job as a school bus driver won’t even feel like work. This fun and exciting job appeals to everyone, but certain people were born to be bus drivers. Some ideal personality types for this job include:
- People who love children. A bus driver offers a dream job for the kind-hearted. If you have a big heart and love making a child’s day more wonderful, then here’s your chance. With your help, a kid will have a good day. Just by doing your job, you get to make a difference. It’s not always fun being a kid, and a lot of kids really don’t like school. But you can show them that grown-ups care about them. You’ll be an adult who doesn’t judge them — someone they can appreciate. Though you’ll only provide the basic service of getting them to and from school, they’ll enjoy having you in their lives. Kids offer the job a sublime joy. You will brighten their days with your natural goodness, and they will reflect your kindness back onto you. Happiness is contagious.
- The retired. Taking on a job as a bus driver offers perfect work for retirees. With your schedule freed up by retirement, why not try doing something you’ll love? If you want to remain active after retirement, then becoming a bus driver offers a perfect solution. Sometimes life can get dull when you’re not making a contribution. The happiness you’ll feel by staying engaged with your community will blow away any retirement blues.
- Stay-at-home parents. For parents who juggle work and watching their kids, a school bus driver provides an ideal compromise. If you have kids, you can bring them with you! We at Rohrer sympathize with your situation. You shouldn’t have to choose between work and family. We encourage you to take your kids with you on your route. You’re driving children anyway, so why not take your kids along for the ride? We’re sure everyone will enjoy the trip. We permit all stay-at-home parents to bring their small children to work. If district legal conditions allow you to take your kids with you, then we say “go for it!”
- Those in need of an extra job. In today’s economy many people don’t get enough work with their current job. In November 2015, 6.1 million Americans were unwillingly limited to part time. The solution often requires people to get a second job. Part-time work as a school bus driver can help you overcome this common employment obstacle. Increase your bank account by doing a job you will love.
Benefits to Your Lifestyle
In addition to kid lovers, retirees, stay-at-home parents and people seeking extra employment, this job helps anyone seeking community involvement and extra spending money. Here are just a few of the many benefits of being a part-time bus driver:
- Get involved in your community. Becoming a school bus driver gets you interacting with your community. You’ll befriend the children, their parents, your coworkers and school staff. Bus drivers form a corner-stone for community involvement. These well-appreciated members of society stay connected to the people around them.
- Additional earnings. As if the community involvement and satisfaction isn’t enough, you’ll make top dollar, too! Supplementing your pocketbook with extra cash affords a lot of advantages. If you have a budget, then you need to make every penny count. For retirees, adding money to your wallet helps offset everyday costs after leaving your previous job. Even after a lifetime of hard work, it never hurts to add “school bus driver” to your list of accomplishments.
- Perks and benefits. We believe in treating our employees well. We respect the important work you do. To show our gratitude, we also offer bonuses for all employees who maintain a period of safe driving and reliable attendance. We also offer length of service pay and additional Safety bonuses and incentive programs.
- Free weekends. Kids get Saturday and Sunday off, and you do, too! Of course, if you want to earn some extra income, there are always optional trips you can sign up for. Kids often have extra events and outings, like athletic or activity trips. These type of special events and group charter trips pay by the hour. However, opportunities to take on additional routes or trips during Saturday and Sunday is entirely up to you.
Qualifications and Requirements
Now that you’ve seen how driving a school bus will enhance your life through community integration and additional cash, you need to see what the school bus driver job description looks like.
Very simply, a school bus driver picks up kids, drops them off at school and then brings them home. The job requires standard weekly availability. Kids go to school on weekdays, so you will as well.
Your work hours center on two periods of availability during the day.
- 6:00 AM to 9:30 AM
- 2:15 PM to 4:45 PM
These two blocks of time coincide with picking up and dropping off children from school.
Beyond picking-up and dropping kids off, you need to maintain excellent job habits such as reliability, professionalism, safety, etc. You’re not responsible for simply delivering a newspaper — you have precious cargo.
The Best Traits in Talented Drivers
Like any job, you need to perform your duties. In your case, the requirements concern elements of driving and the ability to deal with people. Some of the most ideal traits and qualities for part-time school bus driving jobs include:
- Focus and attentiveness . Safe driving means keeping your eyes on the road. You can’t get distracted or daydream. Stay alert and stay safe.
- Reaction time. You need all your senses sharp when driving. Anything can happen on the road, so you must be prepared for the unexpected.
- Multi-tasking. Operating your bus requires you to watch the road, steer the wheel, use the gas pedal, brake, open/close the door and more. Federal laws require all drivers to possess the ability to command their arms and legs in a normal way.
- Keen eyesight. Federal laws state that you must possess 20/40 vision as a minimum requirement, with a 70-degree field of vision in both eyes and not have colorblindness.
- Sharp hearing. Federal laws also require that school bus drivers must hear well. Basic hearing tests involve perceiving a forced whisper from a distance of five feet away (hearing aids are permitted).
- Physical well-being. Health conditions such as epilepsy or high blood pressure may prevent you from becoming a school bus driver, as these ailments could impede your ability to safely operate the bus.
- Relaxed nature. Sometimes stress creeps into the job. If the kids misbehave or you get stuck in traffic, don’t get upset. Your patience and ability to remain calmwill keep things under control. Don’t let a situation get the better of you.
- Pleasant attitude. You will interact with many people. Always ensure you treat everyone with courtesy and respect. We know you’ll do fine. You have a lot of joy to share with the kids and your community — let your goodness shine.
Standard Qualifications
Don’t worry about meeting requirements. Our basic list of requirements ensures your likelihood of passing the grade shouldn’t be a problem. To get your foot in the door, you only need to:
- Be at least 21 years old.
- Have a competent grasp of English. If you can speak, write and read, then you’re fine.
- Have a doctor conduct a physical examination.
- Perform a drug screening and tuberculosis test.
- Maintain a standard driving record for the past 10 years.
- Pass an FBI Background Clearance, PA State Criminal Record and PA Child Abuse Clearance.
- Have a passing grade in the PA State Knowledge and Driving Tests (CDL, School Bus, Passenger and Air Brake Endorsement).
We gladly pay for all the necessary checks and tests. Once you’ve decided you’d like to join our team, we ensure all background clearance tests and educational requirements proceed as cost-free and conveniently as possible.
If you’re healthy, maintain a good driving record for the past 10 years and pass the standard background checks, then you’re just about there — but there are a few more things to do.
How Do You Get A Bus Driving License?
To become a school bus driver, you need a commercial driver’s license (CDL), as well as certain endorsements. We help you achieve this certification through completion of our training. It enables you to operate any commercial school bus in PA. We help provide this license to you under the approval of the PA Department of Transportation.
How to Get Endorsements
In addition to the CDL, we provide you with the necessary training for receiving endorsements. The passenger endorsement, school bus endorsement and air brake endorsement are included in your instructional classes.
These official endorsements are mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They cover all the basic knowledge needed for operating a school bus. You’ll learn how to handle emergency situations, helping kids on and off the bus and other procedures. Endorsements comprise a series of written and driving tests.
School Bus Training
If these last requirements sound complicated, don’t worry. We provide you with all the training and certification you will need. In addition to getting your CDL and endorsements, we cover all the basic areas relevant to the job.
Training usually only takes a few weeks, but if you’re enthusiastic, you can breeze through the program in less time. Your training will occur in our modern training facilities using our expert instructors.
A portion of the training time centers on classroom training.14 Hours is required, but we provide this training throughout your first full week with us. Included with this is tutoring from our expert staff and it concludes with a trip to PennDOT to collect your permit and take your knowledge tests!
Another 10 to 20 hours will involve practical hands-on training. We’ll get you behind the wheel and start you driving. We operate as a certified PennDOT training and testing facility. This gold standard accreditation ensures the highest level of certification available for you.
We do our best to arrange all training around your priorities and hope to give you the best schedule. Once you’ve completed training, we’ll test you when we are comfortable with your skill set.
Our inclusive training timeframe for the required tests is available from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays.
A Job With a Future
When you drive a school bus, you’re making a difference in the lives of a variety of kids. You’re in essence driving the future. The industry growth projection over the next seven years is also good, estimated at a 9% increase. You will see more and more buses in the future. We recommend you start with us now and prepare to advance with the times.
If you’re interested in becoming a school bus driver, just fill out ourForm for Interested Drivers to begin.
