How to hire a school bus dispatcher

How to hire a school bus dispatcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step school bus dispatcher hiring guide:

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

Post a school bus dispatcher job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a school bus dispatcher, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a school bus dispatcher to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a school bus dispatcher that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of school bus dispatcher salaries for various roles:

   Type of School Bus Dispatcher	Description	Hourly rate
   School Bus Dispatcher		$12-42
   Yardmaster/Customer Service/Crew Dispatching	A yardmaster/customer service/crew dispatching officer functions differently depending on their industry or place of employment. Most of their responsibilities revolve around dealing with providing customer support and services, responding to inquiries and correspondence, addressing issues and concerns, providing corrective measures, and producing progress reports... Show more	$12-18
   Dispatch Coordinator	A dispatch coordinator is primarily in charge of dispatching and tracking vehicles that provide different services. The extent of their duties varies upon their industry or institution of employment... Show more	$14-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Bus Route
   • Phone Calls

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage customer service satisfaction by providing update eta and location of drivers.
   • Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation and warehouse activities, safety performance, and logistics quality management.
   • Coordinate guest limousine reservation requests with casino hosts and VIP personnel.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, school bus dispatchers' average salary in hawaii is 39% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level school bus dispatchers 70% less than senior-level school bus dispatchers.
   • Certifications. A school bus dispatcher 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 school bus dispatcher's salary.

   Average school bus dispatcher salary

   $49,229yearly

   $23.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level school bus dispatcher salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a school bus dispatcher job description

   A good school bus dispatcher job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a school bus dispatcher job description:

   School bus dispatcher job description example

   National Express LLC (NELLC) is the North American subsidiary of National Express Group, PLC, one of the premier transportation firms in the United Kingdom. We operate across 34 states and three provinces. All organizations share a strong commitment to provide the highest level of transportation safety, quality transportation, outstanding customer service and positive employee relations. National Express School (NEXS) operates more than 22,500 school buses, serves more than 550 school districts in 31 states and three provinces, and transports more than 1.3 million students on a daily basis. National Express Transit (NEXT) operations transport more than 22 million passengers annually with more than 2,800 vehicles. National Express Shuttle (WeDriveU) serves more than nine million corporate and university passengers annually. NELLC's corporate headquarters, located in Lisle, Illinois, houses the administrative and corporate support functions for the organization. Our 290 local customer service centers (CSCs) are supported by regional operations teams located throughout North America. Learn more at nellc.com.
   Responsibilities:
   Directs and monitors daily assignments; schedules drivers and assigns vehicles to ensure daily coverage of all routes.
   Ensures direct and indirect daily activities of drivers are assigned and accomplished on-time.
   Communicates all relevant details of driving assignments to drivers to ensure proper execution.
   Assist drivers with routing directions and directs them to perform special services when required.
   Recommends appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including suspensions and/or discharge, for staff violations of company policies.
   Responds to emergency calls, facilitates emergency response network, coordinates mechanical service repair, and assigns replacement buses and drivers when there is a problem on a route.
   Notifies stakeholders and location personnel of all changes in route assignments, emergency situations, accidents, breakdowns or any other event that will disrupt service.
   Maintains route documentation and records (relevant contract requirements, customer information, route changes, relevant maps, vehicle details, bus assignments, driver details) for the purpose of providing accurate and reliable information to customers and complies with district and state requirements.
   Coordinates vehicle service and mechanical repairs with Maintenance Supervisor to assure uninterrupted service delivery.
   Maintains high compliance to dispatch standard operating procedures.
   Handles customer concerns and requests for information in an expeditious and professional manner.
   Escalates unresolved issues to management as appropriate.
   
   Qualifications
   High school diploma or GED
   Previous dispatch experience is preferred;
   Knowledge of surrounding geographic area to ensure effective and efficient routing.
   Ability to organize and prioritize time to balance conflicting demands related to customer care and dispatching.
   Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and customers in fast-paced and/or stressful environment (interpersonal & telephone skills).
   Ability to read and interpret documents and instructions from customers and other team members
   Ability to perform work activities requiring cooperation and instruction
   Ability to function in a fast-paced environment, under substantial pressure
   Ability to work within the appropriate level of independence
   Ability to problem solve
   Ability to operate two-way and emergency radio systems
   Ability to use office machines (fax, scanner, copier, zip drive, telephone system)
   Ability to use Microsoft Office Program and computerized routing software.
   Ability to work independently
   Ability to read road and street maps
   Ability to keep organized and accurate records relating to overall dispatch and routing responsibilities
   Bi-lingual abilities a plus
   
   At National Express our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
   
   National Express LLC's independent subsidiaries and affiliates are an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer
   
   KeyWords : Dispatch, Dispatcher, Bus Dispatcher, Truck Dispatcher, Delivery Dispatcher, Transportation Dispatcher, Public Safety Dispatcher, Emergency Dispatcher, Radio Dispatcher, Station Dispatcher, Router, Route Writer, Route Planner, Trip Planner, Transportation Route Planner, School Bus Transportation, Student Transportation, Passenger Transportation, Public Transportation, Transit, CMF 88, 88M, 88N, 88Z
   
   Job: Operations Field
   
   Primary Location: United States-New York-White Plains-White Plains School, NY
   
   Work Locations White Plains School, NY (4153_White Plains School, NY)14 Fisher LaneC/O Durham 4153White Plains, 10603
   
   Organization Transit
   
   Schedule Full-time
   
   Employee Status Regular
   
   Job Level Individual Contributor
   
   Job Shift Day Job
   
   Travel No
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find school bus dispatchers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your school bus dispatcher job on Zippia to find and recruit school bus dispatcher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit school bus dispatchers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 school bus dispatcher

   Once you've decided on a perfect school bus dispatcher candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new school bus dispatcher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a school bus dispatcher?