How to hire a city bus driver

How to hire a city bus driver, step by step

Here's a step-by-step city bus driver hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the city bus driver you need to hire. Certain city bus driver roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A city bus driver's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, city bus drivers 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 city bus drivers.

   Type of City Bus Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   City Bus Driver	Bus 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.	$14-22
   Bus Operator	Bus operators have different roles and responsibilities. These include providing bus driver training, ensuring all drivers have a valid license, and conducting an audit of the bus drivers' performance periodically... Show more	$14-22
   Shuttle Driver	Shuttle bus drivers offer a route with limited stops or fast transportation services. The drivers are expected to drive following a specific way or a set of schedules... Show more	$10-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOT
   • Passenger Endorsement
   • Transport Passengers
   • Safety Rules
   • Bus Route
   • Air Brakes
   • Customer Service
   • Pre-Trip Inspections
   • Drill Press
   • Bus Stops
   • Local Traffic Regulations
   • Bus Schedules
   • Safety Inspections
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist physically and mentally challenge individuals with boarding and disembarking para-transit vehicles.
   • Document mileage and client information into SCR computer system (MDT).

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your city bus driver job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A city bus driver can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, city bus drivers' average salary in iowa is 27% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level city bus drivers 35% less than senior-level city bus drivers.
   • Certifications. A city bus driver with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a city bus driver's salary.

   Average city bus driver salary

   $37,673yearly

   $18.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level city bus driver salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a city bus driver job description

   A job description for a city bus driver 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 city bus driver job description:

   City bus driver job description example

   As early education leaders, we're influencing the next generation of learners, leaving a strong, lasting, positive impact on our children. From our more than 900 school locations to our regional offices and main headquarters, you'll find a dynamic environment and culture that is open, friendly, welcoming, and collaborative.
   
   The Vehicle Driver ensures that the bus is regularly maintained and safe for driving under all applicable state and municipal regulations. The Vehicle Driver may step into an Assistant Teacher or other role as needed.
   Job Responsibilities:
   
   * Safely transport children in a bus or van from one loving, educational environment to another with a smiling face!
   * Have and maintain a safe and violation free driving record.
   * Ensure the safety of each child by maintaining vehicle functionality on a regular basis as well as implement safety procedures with their school director.
   * Have countless advancement opportunities through our on-going training and expansive network of centers and brands.
   
   Job Requirements:
   
   * A valid driver's license and a clean driving record
   * An understanding of all current state and local regulations
   * A High School diploma or equivalent
   * Flexibility as to the hours and schedule of work
   * 0-1 year of experience working in a licensed childcare facility strongly preferred
   * Must be at least 21 years of age
   
   Learning Care Group, Inc. is the second-largest for-profit child care provider in North America and a leader in early education. Our programs are designed for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years. Across our eight unique brands, we're committed to creating state-of-the-art facilities with the latest technology and expert-driven curricula created by our own Education team.
   
   Our Promise
   
   To make a difference and have a positive impact on every child at our schools, their families, and the communities we serve every day. We support child development for infants to school-age students, through a comprehensive, research-based curriculum in a safe, nurturing, fun school environment. As experts in child care and early education, we empower children to be ready for school, we instill a lifelong love of learning, and we provide a solid foundation for a successful future.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right city bus driver 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 city bus driver job on Zippia to find and recruit city bus driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting city bus drivers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 city bus driver

   Once you've found the city bus driver 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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