Driving a school bus full of kids requires a lot of patience. You also have to ensure the safety of all the kids, and this is a lot of responsibility. You have to make sure you drive safely and maintain a proper route to pick up kids from different places. As a school bus driver, you are responsible for picking up kids and also taking them on field trips as planned by the board of the school.
Job Description – School Bus Driver
Working as a school bus driver requires you to transport students to and from their pickup points. You will also be driving them to organized events such as field trips, as per the school authorities. For the position of a school bus driver, you have to acquire excellent driving skills and you need to ensure you maintain them properly. You will be responsible for observing the traffic rules and maintaining order among the kids on the bus to maintain discipline. Working with children requires a lot of patience and you need to have good experience working in the same field.
To become a successful school bus driver, you have to be patient and you should be a person who enjoys working around kids. You will be talking to them through their questions and talking to them gently. You also have to maintain proper discipline on the bus and make sure that the bus arrives on time.
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Skills Required – School Bus Driver
You must be an excellent driver as you will be driving a big vehicle full of kids. You will be responsible for the safety and everything. Also, you need to be patient as working with kids requires a lot of it. You will be performing various tasks other than driving, such as maintaining the vehicle and checking for any issues. You also have to find a proper fix for these issues to maintain the bus.
Job Responsibilities – School Bus Driver
- You will be picking up kids from the pickup point at the given time as per the schedule.
- You will have to map the route properly and ensure no kid is left behind.
- The school bus driver should also maintain the vehicle by checking for issues and performing regular checks whenever required.
- You will also be checking the traffic and weather to ensure the safety of the kids.
- You will also have to maintain the schedule given to you by the school board for the departure times and the stops on the given route.
- The school bus driver also has to check the tires, brakes, and other equipment and parts of the bus to ensure they are properly working.
- The school bus driver also makes notes on the fuel and maintenance charges to provide detailed information to the supervisor.
- Providing information on delays and emergencies is also part of the job.
- Maintaining hygiene inside the school bus is also crucial for the school bus driver.
- Enforcing the safety rules on the bus is also extremely important.
- Helping with loading and unloading of the bags and luggage from the bus is also part of the job.
- You have to respond to emergency situations and non-emergency situations to handle the situation as per the severity of the situation.
- You will also have to inspect the vehicle properly before you leave for the trip and after you come back from the trip. This will help you recognize any changes or damage done to any part of the vehicle.
- The school bus driver has to also make sure they follow the given schedule and make a route map for different pickups. They try to blend in new pickups in between and make sure they reach school on time.
Job Requirements – School Bus Driver
- You need a high school diploma or an equivalent diploma.
- You must have a CDL license.
- The school bus driver also requires endorsement for driving a passenger or a school bus.
- You should have a clean driving record as there will be a proper background check on your given license before you start working as a school bus driver.
- You should have experience working as a school bus driver.
- The school bus driver should also have knowledge of first aid and do basic medical care tasks.
- Patience and excellent communication skills
Frequently Asked Questions
1 What’s the role of a school bus driver?
Ans. The role of a school bus driver is to transport students from their pickup points to the school and vice-versa. As a school bus driver, you will also have to take care of the maintenance of the vehicle. The job responsibility also includes following a proper schedule to pick up kids on time from their stop to reach school.
2 Where to find a job for the position of School Bus Driver?
Ans. To find a job as a school bus driver, you have to check newspapers and the internet. You can also ask around for people to help you find a related job. You can even run a search using filters to find jobs near your location.
