A school bus driver is an important entity in a school as any other member of staff. A bus driver has the responsibility of not only the children but the staff and taking them from their homes to the school or field trips and ensuring they reach their destination safely and responsibly. Other than that, he ensures that children are following the proper safety measures and is responsible to take care of the children in case of an emergency and the procedure to follow along with the bus aide.
Being a school bus driver
Although it may seem like a simple enough day job, it is much more than that and requires a lot of focus and responsibility. And being one isn’t an easy job that anybody can take on, it needs a lot of patience, responsibility, keen senses, etc. being a school Bus driver is not an easy job. Let’s take a look, at what is required for a person to be eligible for being a bus driver.
Criteria for being a school Bus driver:
Educational Background
▪︎ This job doesn’t require much academic performance, although if the person in question is a high school graduate it can be counted as a point for their eligibility.
Appropriate age
▪︎ Should be an adult above the age of 18 years.
Personal skills needed to be a bus driver
- Should have the know-how of how to drive the bus
- Should be aware of the traffic rules and be responsible enough to follow them.
- know how to deal with children
- Need to have good decisions making skills in case of an emergency.
- Have patience and the knowledge to deal with children with special needs
- Know how to maintain a hygiene level in the vehicle and keep it up to the required safety standards.
- Be aware of scheduling systems and general procedures to be followed and how to follow them.
Physical Demands for being a school Bus driver
Although it requires a long period of sitting in the driver’s seat, it can be several hours per day, so they need to be able to keep up with the physical requirements and be able to take care of themselves without endangering their health. If a person applying for the job has some chronic physical ailment, especially related to their back or spine, it’s preferable for them to not apply for a job that requires long sitting hours.
Other requirements
• has to have a good attitude
•is respectful to everyone, whether it be children or any school staff member.
•should possess good communication skills and should be able to communicate with people positively.
• be willing to drive the school bus in any weather conditions and be able to handle the vehicle properly and safely and have regard for the safety of others.
Various Tests before becoming a full-time school bus driver:-
There are a few things to do before you are offered the position of a bus driver, and there are a few guidelines and tests along with some skills a candidate need to possess for the job:
1. Complete a pre-vehicle inspection and know how to maneuver a bus In difficult areas and properly drive on the road.
2. Know how to reverse the bus and park and drive in narrow lanes and wide.
3. Should be keen on directions and working with people
4. Should be aware of the environment while driving the vehicle (have good focus) and should know defensive driving.
5. Be responsible and honest and hard working about his work.
Now that we have seen what skills are required for the job and what it entails. We should now understand the process of becoming and applying for a job and being a school bus driver.
Steps to become a school bus driver:
Step 1
If an individual possesses a driver’s license, he or she can apply for a driving job in any school or other educational institution, and they will be eligible to get the job with the license. Although school takes driving tests in a certain area or on general roads to evaluate the skills of the driver and to see the work ethic being maintained.
Step 2
If the driving skills are not up to the required code of the school, the individual may retake their original driving test to ensure safety and proper driving protocols.
Step 3
If you are selected by the institution to be their official school driver, you will be given a designated route with multiple stops and your job will include picking up students from their houses and dripping them safely to school and back to their homes after school hours are over.
Step 4
You may also need to take students and various teachers and other faculty members from the school to a location reserved for field trips and take them to their houses or back to the school as per the schedule.
Income of a bus driver for their job at the school or other institutions:-
A. To give out an exact estimate of a school bus driver’s salary, it can range from $29,583 to $44,652. And the salary solely depends on the workload and their driving skills and soft skills in managing safety and discipline.
Can a bus driver have a real career driving a vehicle?
A. The career prospect for a bus driver, other than driving a bus during school hours, can include driving other heavy and large vehicles such as public buses, and trams and they can either drive the bus around the city being a local bus driver, or they can be driving around the city and give a tour of the city and take tourist to famous and known locations alongside a tourist guide.
Conclusion
It is can be said that the job may seem easy enough it isn’t it requires much more effort into it and not everybody has that much patience or the skill to be at this job and although the pay isn’t at a high status it’s very modest and as the job requires a lot of hard work the pay increases and can be more
