Bus Driver Trainee

Bus

Driver

• Trainee

Job

Description

JOB

TITLE:

Bus

Driver

• Trainee

DATE

REVISED:

June

24,

2025

REPORTS

TO:

Operations

Supervisor,

Transportation

DEPARTMENT/CAMPUS:

Facility

&

School

Services:

Transportation

PAY

GRADE:

BD1

FLSA:

Non-Exempt

JOB

PURPOSE

SUMMARY:

This

position

will

work

under

the

direct

supervision

of

the

assigned

bus

driver

in

completing

all

trainee

requirements

for

ensuring

the

safe

and

reliable

transportation

of

students.

KEY

FUNCTIONS,

ESSENTIAL

DUTIES,

AND

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Student

Transport

Services

• In

Training:

1.

Attends

all

school

bus

driver

training

sessions

as

mandated

by

trainers

or

supervisors

to

develop

knowledge

and

skills

in

safe

bus

operation.

2.

Completes

all

necessary

Texas

CDL

written

exams

to

obtain

a

Commercial

Driver's

License

Permit

and

successfully

completes

the

Entry-Level

Driver

Training

(ELDT)

program.

3.

Successfully

completes

behind-the-wheel

instruction

and

passes

the

Texas

DPS

skills

test

to

qualify

for

a

full

commercial

driver's

license.

4.

Conducts

pre-trip

inspections

of

the

bus

and

emergency

equipment,

including

air

brake

tests,

to

ensure

vehicle

safety

before

each

run.

5.

Reports

all

accidents,

vehicle

damage,

student

injuries,

and

mechanical

failures;

completes

all

required

documentation

accurately.

6.

Observes

and

participates,

as

directed,

in

the

supervision

of

students

during

boarding,

transport,

and

disembarking,

ensuring

safe

street

crossing

in

accordance

with

District

policies

and

maintains

discipline

according

to

transportation

guidelines.

7.

Assists

with

instructing

students,

as

directed,

on

safe

riding

practices

and

ensures

compliance

with

all

safety

rules

and

regulations.

8.

Develops

and

demonstrates

proficient

working

knowledge

and

understanding

of

all

traffic

laws

and

safety

regulations

for

school

buses,

reports

any

hazardous

conditions

encountered

along

the

route,

and

addresses

unsafe

conditions

within

the

work

area.

9.

Operates

two-way

radio

equipment

following

departmental

guidelines

to

maintain

communication

with

dispatch

and

supervisors.

10.

Performs

bus

attendant

duties

as

necessary

and

checks

in

with

the

AM/PM

supervisor

daily.

11.

Attends

and

completes

all

required

training

programs,

maintains

necessary

certifications

and

licenses,

and

participates

in

all

in-service

training

and

monthly

staff

meetings.

12.

Complies

with

all

District

transportation

policies

as

outlined

in

the

District

Transportation

Handbook

and

follows

guidelines

for

using

smart

tablet

software.

13.

Participates

in

regular

safety

audits

and

inspections,

as

directed,

alongside

senior

drivers

or

supervisors

to

understand

and

learn

the

critical

aspects

of

bus

safety

and

compliance.

14.

Actively

participates

in

emergency

response

drills

organized

by

the

District,

learning

how

to

effectively

manage

and

respond

to

emergencies

on

the

bus.

15.

Assists,

as

directed,

in

maintaining

and

updating

digital

records

related

to

bus

operations,

including

driver

logs,

maintenance

records,

and

student

attendance

for

transportation,

using

designated

software

systems.

16.

Participates

in

workshops

or

training

focused

on

customer

service

to

better

understand

how

to

interact

with

students,

parents,

and

school

staff

effectively.

17.

Trains

to

manage

and

report

incidents,

learning

the

appropriate

protocols

and

communication

strategies

to

handle

potential

issues

effectively.

1

Bus

Driver

• Trainee

Job

Description

Compliance:

18.

Performs

all

duties

in

accordance

with

standard

procedures

and

protocols

established

by

the

Transportation

Department

and

the

District,

and

as

set

forth

by

governing

entities

and

regulatory

requirements

including,

but

not

limited

to,

Texas

Education

Code,

Texas

Administrative

Code,

Texas

Transportation

Code,

Texas

Department

of

Public

Safety,

Texas

Health

&

Safety

Code,

Texas

Accessibility

Standards,

Occupational

Safety

and

Health

Administration

(OSHA),

Americans

with

Disabilities

Act

(ADA),

and

Federal

Motor

Carrier

Safety

Regulations

(FMCSR).

19.

Demonstrates

and

maintains

proficient

working

knowledge

and

understanding

of

compliance

requirements

and

standards

including,

but

not

limited

to,

student

transportation

safety,

workplace

safety,

personal

protective

equipment

(PPE)

use,

safe

operation

of

bus

equipment,

emergency

evacuation

procedures,

as

well

as

other

related

requirements

as

they

pertain

to

the

job

function.

20.

Monitors

respective

work

activity

for

variances

and

anomalies.

21.

Identifies

and

timely

reports

any

known

or

suspected

compliance

issues

to

appropriate

personnel.

22.

Assists

with

audits

and

the

preparation

for

audits,

whether

initiated

internally

or

externally,

as

assigned.

23.

Adheres

to

all

other

District

wide

policies

and

procedures

including,

but

not

limited

to,

human

resources,

safety,

and

emergency

protocols.

General:

24.

Demonstrates

support

towards

the

District's

Shared

Vision,

Mission,

and

Promise

2

Purpose.

25.

Displays

integrity,

responsibility,

accountability,

teamwork,

and

ethics.

26.

Assists

department

leadership

in

the

compilation

of

miscellaneous

confidential

reports,

as

requested.

27.

Attends

departmental

and

organizational

meetings,

as

required.

28.

Participates

in

continuing

education

programs

and

related

activities

relevant

to

the

job

function,

as

required.

29.

Performs

assigned

job

duties

and

responsibilities

in

accordance

with

established

performance

expectations,

as

well

as

with

District

policies,

procedures,

protocols

and

standard

practices.

30.

Demonstrates

basic

working

knowledge

and

understanding

of

software

systems

and

applications

pertaining

to

student

transportation

management,

incident

reporting,

GPS,

training

and

compliance,

communication,

and

other

programs

relevant

to

the

job

function.

31.

Performs

other

duties

as

assigned.

MINIMUM

EDUCATION,

EXPERIENCE

&

CREDENTIAL

REQUIREMENTS

High

school

diploma

or

equivalent

GED

Able

to

obtain

a

Texas

Commercial

Driver's

License

(within

90

days

of

employment)

with

Class

B,

(P)

Passenger

and

(S)

School

Bus

Endorsements

CORE

KNOWLEDGE,

SKILLS

&

ABILITIES:

Time

Management

-

Budgets,

schedules,

and

manages

own

time

to

fulfill

priorities

effectively

and

efficiently.

Safety

-

Identifies,

and

appropriately

addresses,

existing

and

predictable

hazards

in

the

working

conditions

and

surrounding

working

environment

that

are

unsanitary,

hazardous,

and/or

dangerous

to

others.

Composure

-

Maintains

a

calm

presence

during

complex

and

high

stress

situations.

Stress

Management

-

Demonstrates

resilience

and

stress

tolerance

by

continuing

to

perform

effectively

when

faced

with

time

pressures,

adversity,

disappointment,

or

opposition.

PHYSICAL

REQUIREMENTS

&

WORKING

CONDITIONS:

This

position

requires

the

ability

to

sit

for

prolonged

periods

while

operating

the

school

bus,

utilizing

hands

and

feet

to

control

various

controls

and

mechanisms.

Bus

drivers

must

be

capable

of

lifting

and

carrying

items

weighing

up

to

100

lbs,

which

may

include

emergency

equipment

or

aiding

in

student

mobility.

The

role

requires

acute

visual

and

auditory

capabilities

for

safe

driving

practices,

reading

signs

and

paperwork,

and

communicating

effectively

with

students

and

staff.

Drivers

are

frequently

required

to

quickly

enter

and

exit

the

bus

to

assist

students,

particularly

in

emergency

situations

or

when

managing

boarding

and

disembarking.

The

working

environment

involves

operating

a

school

bus

on

public

roadways,

where

drivers

face

regular

exposure

to

diverse

weather

conditions

such

as

rain,

snow,

heat,

and

cold.

Additionally,

bus

drivers

encounter

moderate

to

high

noise

levels

from

the

bus

and

traffic,

alongside

the

stress

related

to

adhering

to

strict

schedules

and

managing

student

behavior

effectively.

Safety

is

paramount,

and

drivers

Bus

Driver

• Trainee

Job

Description

must

navigate

traffic

hazards

and

ensure

the

safety

and

well-being

of

all

passengers.

The

role

involves

a

significant

responsibility

for

maintaining

a

calm,

safe,

and

orderly

environment

within

the

bus

under

varying

and

sometimes

challenging

conditions.

EMPLOYEE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

My

signature

below

acknowledges

that

I

have

received

and

read

my

job

description,

and

that

I

understand

the

scope,

essential

job

duties,

knowledge,

skills,

and

abilities,

and

working

environment

that

apply

to

my

job.

I

further

acknowledge

that

I

can

safely

and

effectively

perform

the

essential

job

duties

with

or

without

reasonable

accommodation,

and

in

accordance

with

the

policies,

procedures,

expectations,

and

standards

of

the

District.

Employee

Printed

Name:

_____

Employee

ID

Number:

_____

Employee

Signature:

_____

Date:

___