How long does it take to become a School Bus Driver?

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a school bus driver. That is the time it takes to learn specific school bus driver skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A School Bus Driver: What It Is and Career Path

Q: What are the pros and cons of being a school bus driver?

The pros of being a school bus driver include minimal work hours, no degree requirements, independent work, and paid holidays, while the cons are low pay, job stress, and physical discomfort.

What is a school bus driver and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A school bus driver safely transports students to and from school. They are responsible for maintaining the bus and ensuring that it is in working order. Drivers must have a commercial driver's license and undergo regular training to ensure they can handle any situation on the road. They also use communication skills to interact with students, parents, and school officials. In addition to driving, they maintain discipline on the bus and keep track of attendance.

ScoreSchool Bus DriverUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,607

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.05%

Asian 2.60%

Black or African American 8.09%

Hispanic or Latino 14.56%

Unknown 4.63%

White 69.06%

Gender

female 55.32%

male 44.68%

Age - 59

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 59

Stress level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a school bus driver?

Pros

Attractive salary and benefits
Job security with stable employment
Opportunities for advancement in the school district or transportation department
Access to training and development programs
Flexible hours for part-time or substitute positions

Cons

Dealing with unruly or disruptive students
Early morning or late afternoon shifts may disrupt personal schedules
Potential for long hours, especially during field trips or extracurricular activities
Limited opportunity to take breaks during the day
Possible exposure to illness or contagious diseases from students

Key steps to become a school bus driver

Explore school bus driver education requirements

Most common school bus driver degrees

High School Diploma

35.3 %

Associate

23.7 %

Bachelor's

18.8 %

Start to develop specific school bus driver skills

Skills	Percentages
Vehicle Inspections	26.73%
Customer Service	25.10%
Safety Rules	7.35%
DOT	6.25%
Post-Trip Inspections	3.18%

Complete relevant school bus driver training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New school bus drivers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a school bus driver based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real school bus driver resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed school bus driver usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed school bus driver in most of states. 18 states require school bus drivers to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Kentucky	Specific course required	State exam required	School Bus Driver
Maryland	Specific course required	State exam required	BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL
Alaska	Specific course required	State exam required	Bus Driver, School
Idaho	-	State exam required	Commercial Drivers
Illinois	Specific course required	State exam required	COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERATOR)

Research school bus driver duties and responsibilities

Transport clients to doctor appointments, health clinic, and rehabilitation clinics for non-emergency services
Obtain CDL and perform daily safety checks on the bus for the security of the students.
Train and develop skills in using automatic defibrillator, CPR, and first-aid techniques to be prepare for emergency situations.
Aid as a monitor at high school during lunch periods in the commons to make sure the kids are safe.

Prepare your school bus driver resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your school bus driver resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a school bus driver resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable school bus driver resume templates

Build a professional school bus driver resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your school bus driver resume.

Apply for school bus driver jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a school bus driver job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do school bus drivers rate their job?

1.5/5

Out of 2 School Bus Driver reviews, 0% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 2 ratings

Career growth

3.0

Pay / salary

2.0

Overall rating

1.5

Work/life balance

1.0

School bus driver reviews

2.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023

Pros

You don’t have a supervisor hovering over your shoulders all day. It’s great not to be stuck in an office all day too. Sometimes you really do form a good relationship with some of the students and parents (special needs)

Cons

Unruly and disrespectful children sometimes with dangerous behavior. You may not always be supported by your supervisor, parents or school staff. Hours can be very conflicting with your doctor’s or other appointments

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023

Pros

Severing the public , being able to get people to and from work and home is a good day work as a bus driver.

Cons

Not enough overtime , the hours are not enough, and since their are meaningful, being able to sign up for overtime helps . Then there are the class C drivers who take advantage of bus drivers, by cutting us off, or just not being aware that a 40ft/ 60ft bus can not stop on a dime And while class C drivers take unnecessary traffic risk. A bus driver must stay alert and expect the unexpected every minute under the wheel of a bus

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022

Pros

The freedom to work on your own schedule.

Cons

The road rage drivers: people lose their empathy when driving. They become aggressive and angry by the slightest event on the road. Hence, taking the fun out of driving. However, driving is still relaxing and fun.

What is a school bus driver and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a school bus driver?

School bus driver career paths

Key steps to become a school bus driver

Explore school bus driver education requirements

Most common school bus driver degrees

Start to develop specific school bus driver skills

Complete relevant school bus driver training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Research school bus driver duties and responsibilities

Prepare your school bus driver resume

Choose from 10+ customizable school bus driver resume templates

Apply for school bus driver jobs

How did you land your first school bus driver job

Average school bus driver salary

How do school bus drivers rate their job?

School bus driver reviews

School bus driver FAQs

How long does it take to become a School Bus Driver?

What are the pros and cons of being a school bus driver?

Search for school bus driver jobs

School bus driver jobs by state