APPLICATION FOR A COMMERCIAL LEARNER'S PERMIT:
Must be 18 years of age or older
Must obtain a commercial learner's permit
Submit a DL-31CD permit application, a Self-Certification form (DL-11CD), along with a School
Bus Driver's Physical Examination (DL-704) and the appropriate fee.
Drivers who will be engaging in "Non-excepted" transportation will also be required to submit a valid
Medical Examiner's Certificate prior to the issuance of a learner's permit.
The physical examination consists of:
A vision screening and a check for hearing loss.
A check for physical impairment(s).
A semi-annual test for driver's with diabetes mellitus.
An annual stress test for driver's with cardiovascular conditions.
A check for uncontrolled hypertension and respiratory dysfunction.
A check for rheumatic, arthritic, orthopedic, muscular, neuromuscular, or vascular disease.
A check for seizure disorder(s).
A check for drug or alcohol abuse.
A check for mental, emotional or psychiatric disorder(s).
A check for tuberculosis in a transmittable stage.
A check for any other condition likely to impair the ability to drive a school bus safely.
Please Note: Pennsylvania law requires certain commercial permit holders to wait at least
15-days before taking the examination to upgrade their driving privilege. Check the bottom of
the learner's permit for the driver eligibility date. This date identifies the earliest date the driver
is eligible to take the driving test.
HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:
Comply with Pennsylvania Department of Health and any local school district regulations and policies
regarding communicable diseases.
Pass a Federal criminal history check conducted by the FBI.
Pass a criminal history check conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Pass a child abuse history check conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.
Be drug and alcohol free when driving, and not consume any alcoholic beverages within 8 hours prior to
operating a school bus.
Submit an annual School Bus Driver's Physical Examination Form (DL-704) to PennDOT. The physical
requirements are listed above.
Pass an FBI Federal Criminal History check.
Submit a Medical Examiner's Certificate for school bus drivers engaged in "Non-excepted" transportation.
November 2011
SCHOOL BUS DRIVER
LICENSING PROCESS
FACT SHEET
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:
To initially obtain a school bus endorsement, the driver must complete a minimum of 20 hours of
instruction, which includes 14 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of in-bus training.
The training may be broken down into two sets of 10 hours. The driver becomes eligible to take the
driving skills examination administered by a PennDOT Driver's License Examiner or a Third-party
Tester after he or she has passed all applicable knowledge tests, waited the mandatory 15-days if
applicable, and has completed the first 10 hours of instruction. On successful completion of the
driver's examination, the driver will be issued an S endorsement. The driver will have 120 days
from the issue date of the S endorsement to complete the second 10 hours of training.
The safety of school children is the main concern of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Compliance
with every aspect of the School Bus Driver Trainer Program is essential to the safety of school children. You, the
school bus driver, will be asked to initial and sign the School Bus Driver's Training Report Form (DL-714) verifying
that the minimum training requirements have been met. Your signature on the Training Report Form certifies
under penalty of law that the information contained on the form is true and correct. If you are not given the
minimum number of training hours, do not sign the Training Report Form. You may contact PennDOT's
Special Driver Programs Unit at (717) 787-6453 if you have any concerns associated with your school
bus driver training.
DRIVER'S TEST:
The examination consists of:
A vision screening.
Knowledge tests, including but not limited to commercial general knowledge, passenger
endorsement, school bus endorsement, and air brakes, if applicable.
A skills test consisting of a pre-trip inspection, performance of basic maneuvers and an
on-road driving test. In addition to all components of the commercial tests, drivers are required
to successfully execute a simulated student discharge and a simulated or actual railroad
crossing.
TO MAINTAIN CREDENTIALS:
Every four years, a school bus driver must:
Complete a minimum of 10 hours of refresher training, which includes 7 hours of classroom
instruction and 3 hours of in-bus training.
Pass the school bus endorsement knowledge examination.
Pass a skills evaluation in a school bus representative of the class school bus the driver is licensed
to operate.
For Additional Information, please contact PennDOT's
Special Driver Programs Unit at
(717) 787-6453
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Numbers & Facts
Location
Chambersburg, PA
Skills
Bus Drivingunmatched
Cardiovascularunmatched
Diabetesunmatched
Diseaseunmatched
Driver's Licenseunmatched
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)unmatched
Health Departmentunmatched
Infectious Diseasesunmatched
Neuromuscularunmatched
Orthopedicsunmatched
Process Sheetunmatched
Psychiatry and Mental Healthunmatched
Road Testsunmatched
Safety Trainingunmatched
Safety/Work Safetyunmatched
Stress Testingunmatched
Substance Abuseunmatched
Testingunmatched
Training/Teachingunmatched
Truck Driverunmatched
University/School Regulationsunmatched
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