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How to hire a bus assistant

Bus assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring bus assistants in the United States:

  • There are currently 20,528 bus assistants in the US, as well as 7,036 job openings.
  • Bus assistants are in the highest demand in Cincinnati, OH, with 12 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a bus assistant is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new bus assistant to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a bus assistant, step by step

To hire a bus assistant, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a bus assistant:

Here's a step-by-step bus assistant hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a bus assistant job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new bus assistant
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a bus assistant do?

A bus assistant is primarily responsible for providing support to drivers and passengers. They can have different responsibilities depending on their company or industry of employment. In learning institutions, a bus assistant is in charge of keeping order at school buses, ensuring that the students are all accounted for during field trips, managing routes, and solving issues and concerns if any arise. In public transportation, a bus assistant is in charge of handling tickets and other necessary paperwork, answering the passengers' questions, and assisting the elderly and others with mobility issues.

Learn more about the specifics of what a bus assistant does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your bus assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a bus assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A bus assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, bus assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of bus assistants.

    Type of Bus AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Bus AssistantBus drivers transport people between various places—including work, school, and shopping malls—and across state or national borders. Some drive regular routes, and others transport passengers on chartered trips or sightseeing tours.$9-15
    Bus AttendantA Bus Attendant performs a variety of support tasks to ensure that passengers get to receive optimal services. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their place or industry of employment, it typically revolves around answering questions about bus routes and other services, directing passengers on and off the bus, assisting passengers with special or particular needs, adjusting seats, and handling documents... Show more$10-15

  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Restraints
    • Wheel Chair
    • Seat Belts
    • Car Seats
    • Safety Regulations
    • Tie Downs
    • Emergency Situations
    • Incident Reports
    • Public Schools
    • CDL
    • Customer Service
    • Bus Route
    • Bus Stops
    • Safety Rules
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Provide appropriate intervention in conflict situations according to ISS standards; notify principal or office when necessary.
    • Assist children on bus with ESE problems
    More bus assistant duties

  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the bus assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A bus assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a bus assistant in New Mexico may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level bus assistant. Additionally, a bus assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average bus assistant salary

    $12.44hourly

    $25,883 yearly
    Entry-level bus assistant salary
    $20,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 15, 2025

    Average bus assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$32,871$16
    2Rhode Island$31,784$15
    3Connecticut$30,278$15
    4New York$30,109$14
    5Minnesota$28,480$14
    6Colorado$28,301$14
    7New Jersey$28,156$14
    8Illinois$28,118$14
    9California$27,734$13
    10Maryland$27,432$13
    11Michigan$26,402$13
    12Iowa$26,239$13
    13Ohio$25,477$12
    14Kansas$25,348$12
    15Tennessee$24,936$12
    16Arizona$24,860$12
    17Texas$22,318$11

    Average bus assistant salary by company

  4. Writing a bus assistant job description

    A job description for a bus assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a bus assistant job description:

    Bus assistant job description example

    Revised on 06/25/2018


    Credentials: High School Diploma or GED.


    Other Qualifications: The person in this position is responsible for assisting children in boarding and exiting school buses and to provide for the safety of students while being transported on school buses. Employees in this area work 5 days a week, 6-8 hours a day depending on how long bus route takes per day. The Bus Assistant reports directly to the Supervisor of Transportation. This person must have a happy, helpful attitude; be punctual and dependable; follow directions. This person must be able to work cooperatively with adults and children. The person in this position must protect confidentiality rights of parents and children. This person must model appropriate grammar usage; support safety and good self-esteem in children. Experience with groups of children may be helpful but not required. This position is classified as Non-Exempt. The employee is subject to a post offer physical examination with a written statement from the physician showing a satisfactory health record. All employees hired after January 1, 2000 are required (post offer and prior to commencement of the employment duties) to supply fingerprint samples which are submitted to a criminal history records check conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. All hiring decisions are contingent upon satisfactory criminal background check results.


    Physical Demands: The employee must have sufficient physical strength and ability to independently lift, move and carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds. The employee will be exposed to extreme temperatures, inclement weather, smells associated with children and educational institutions; may be exposed to bodily fluids and therefore need to use universal precautions.


    Essential Job Functions: The employee must be able to perform other duties and special projects as assigned, along with any of the following duties as required:

    1. Learn the bus route and inform substitute bus drivers about the bus route
    2. Make sure the students are in seat belts
    3. Report any medical problems to the bus driver
    4. Monitor and control behavior of students on the bus
    5. Assist in maintaining discipline on bus
    6. Must be able to perform job duties as described on essential functions addendum.

    Staff Relationship: Reports directly to the Transportation Supervisor

    Terms of Employment: Full-time position; Two hundred (200) days, salary and benefits set annually. Non-exempt


  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right bus assistant for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your bus assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit bus assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.

  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit bus assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new bus assistant

    Once you've found the bus assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new bus assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a bus assistant?

There are different types of costs for hiring bus assistants. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new bus assistant employee.

Bus assistants earn a median yearly salary is $25,883 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find bus assistants for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $9 and $15.

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Updated December 15, 2025

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