Precious cargo on board: Driving a school bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round every day during the school year on some 475,000 school buses. Thanks to the highly trained professionals driving the buses and the vehicles' safety features, riding a school bus is the safest way for children to get to and from school, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In many communities all around the country, school bus drivers are in high demand to help transport nearly 24 million school children to and from school.

"Driving a school bus is an ideal job for people looking for flexibility and part-time work," says Greg Gavins, location manager for First Student in Zachary, La. Gavins says the work schedules for a bus driver are very desirable for parents who have school-aged children.  School bus drivers work early morning and afternoon schedules. The drivers are off during the late morning and midday hours and have the holidays and most of the summer off. "Many of the drivers in my district are women. Driving a bus allows them the flexibility to do other things and have time for their families."

Depending on the school district, bus drivers may be employed directly by the district or by a private contractor. Districts throughout the United States have privatized, or outsourced, their transportation operations so they can focus on education and delegate the job of providing transportation to large and experienced transportation companies, like First Student, or to smaller independent or family-owned school bus companies.

Aaron Jackson has been driving coach and school buses professionally since 1995. He says that driving a big yellow school bus isn't difficult. Like all school bus drivers, he has a commercial driver's license (CDL) and has gone through professional training to learn how to drive and operate a school bus. All drivers, whether employed by a school district or a private contractor, must meet state and federal licensing standards to drive a school bus and most states have minimum training standards and curriculum.

"Training is the most important aspect of the job," says Jackson. In addition to teaching drivers how to safely operate a bus, companies like First Student train drivers on student management and safety principles. Not only has Jackson earned his CDL, he has also gone through professional truck driving school and has many certifications to drive all types of vehicles and transport chemicals and hazardous materials. "But the most precious cargo I transport are the students on a school bus," adds Jackson.

Besides professional training, Jackson, who has a degree in education, says that being a people person and having patience are important to being a good school bus driver. He was inspired to drive a bus when he was in college and rode a bus from campus to church on Sundays. "I like my students and the rapport I have with them. They are so excited to get on the bus. It is nice to see their parents have trust in their eyes as they watch their children board my bus. Parents applaud me for being safety conscious."