School Bus Driver Training
Unit A
The School Bus Driver:
Role, Responsibilities, and Requirements
Objectives
 At the end of this session school bus operators will
be able to:
 Describe their role and responsibilities
 Recognize that their appearance and behavior affect
community attitudes
 Demonstrate positive and supportive attitudes and
habits
 Know their responsibilities to their supervisor, fellow
employees, and the school district
 Understand the process for becoming a school bus
operator in Pennsylvania
Introduction
 Competent school bus drivers are essential!
 School bus drivers have specific
 Roles
 Responsibilities
 Becoming a school bus driver has certain
 Requirements
Roles, Responsibilities,
Requirements
 Role as a driver
 Responsibilities as a driver
 What do I need to do to become a School Bus driver in
PA?
Role as a Driver
 Attitude
 You are important
 You are responsible
 You are a member of the Safety Team
Attitude
 Stay positive
 Recognize your moods
 Be prepared to make allowances for the poor attitudes
of others
 Always be mentally alert
You are Important
 Professional
 Part of the educational system
 Representative of the school system
 Influence
You are Responsible
 Safely transport students
 You control your driving
 You control your attitude
You are a Member of the
Safety Team
 Safety starts with you
 You are transporting students in buses on public
roadways
 You are a key member of the safety team that works
with the students each day
Responsibilities as a Driver
 High standard of conduct
 Driving technique
 Passengers
 Public relations
 Appropriate dress
 Supervisor and fellow employees
 Relationship to Transportation Director
High Standard of Conduct
 Standard of conduct is high
 Your conduct cannot be open to criticism
 You are a role model to students
 You are a representative of the school district
Driving Technique
 Driver attitude
 Knowledge
 Skill
Passengers
 The conduct of passengers depends upon the driver
 Express an interest in your student passengers
 Show that rules are about safety
 Be fair
 Communication is businesslike, yet friendly
Public Relations
 You influence public opinion about the school district
 You represent the school district to parents
 Consider all enforcement officers as part of the safety
team
 Show pride in your work
 Respect co-workers
Appropriate Dress
 The school bus driver should be identified as a
professional
 Dress to instill respect
 Wear appropriate shoes for driving
Supervisor and Fellow Employees
 Your supervisor is a member of your safety team
 Cooperation is essential to transportation safety
 Communicate
 Report
 Comply
 Assist
Transportation Director
 Your advisor
 Your partner
 Their typical responsibilities include:
 Assigning drivers to buses
 Establishing bus routes, stops, and turnarounds
 Assigning passengers to buses
 Ensuring buses are safe to operate
 Appointing monitors/aids as needed
 Understand your working relationship and cultivate it!
What Do I Need to Do to Become a
School Bus Driver in PA?
 First Step -
Initial requirements
 Second Step Knowledge Test Authorization and
School Bus Learner’s Permit
 Third Step –
Training and skills testing
requirements
 Health and safety requirements
 Driver recertification
First Step – Initial Requirements
 Apply for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
Knowledge Test Authorization/Learner’s Permit
Second Step – Knowledge Test
Authorization and Learner’s Permit
 If your documents are in order, and
 You have no license suspensions, then
 You are issued
 a CDL knowledge test authorization, and
 school bus learner’s permit.
Third Step – Training and Skills
Testing Requirements
 The School Bus Driver Training Course
 Skills examination: Three parts
 Safety inspection
 Basic skill test
 On-road driving test
The School Bus Driver
Training Course
 20 hours of instruction
 14 hours of classroom instruction
 6 hours of in-bus training
 In-bus training must be one-on-one with a certified
instructor
The School Bus Driver
Training Course
 There are two ways to complete the training:
 Complete the full 20 hours of instruction, then attempt
to pass the skills examination
 Complete 10 hours of instruction (7 classroom, 3 in-bus)
and attempt to pass the skills examination

If successful, complete the remaining 10 hours of instruction
within 120 days
 A Certificate of Completion Card will then be issued,
keep it! You will need it for your skills exam.
The School Bus Driver
Training Course
 Documentation for skills test:
 Valid driver’s license
 Valid PA CDL learner’s permit
 Valid Physical Examination Certificate (DL-742)
 Valid Certificate of Completion Card (DL-713)
 Current bus registration
 Proof of financial responsibility for bus
 Valid driver’s license for driver accompanying you
The Skills Examination Will be
Administered in Three Parts
 First part – safety inspection
 Second part – basic skills test
 Third part – on-road driving test
The Skills Examination
 Three attempts on a valid learner’s permit
 One attempt a day
 Failure of a portion requires retesting for just that
portion
 Three failed attempts requires a new learner’s permit
and all training requirements
The Skills Examination
 Successfully completing the skills examination:
 Passing result credited to your driving record
 If all minimum requirements are met, you will receive a
CDL with “S” and “P” endorsements
 You will receive a school bus endorsement card (valid for
approximately one year)
 If you successfully complete the skills examination
with only 10 hours of training:
 You have 120 days to complete the remaining 10 hours of
training
Health and Safety Requirements
 General
 Drug and alcohol testing for school bus drivers
Health and Safety
Requirements: General
 To establish fitness you must:
 Comply with PA Department of Health and local
regulations for communicable diseases
 Clean criminal history record
 Clean child abuse history record
 Limited traffic violations or crashes recorded
 Drug-free and Alcohol-free when driving
Drug and Alcohol Testing for
School Bus Drivers
 Required by Federal government
 Drug testing by urine sample for:
 Marijuana
 Cocaine
 Opiates
 Amphetamines
 Phencyclidine
 Alcohol testing by breath analysis
Drug and Alcohol Testing for
School Bus Drivers
 Federal government requires:
 Pre-employment testing
 Random testing
 Post-crash testing
 Reasonable suspicion testing
 Local policy dictates:


Return-to-duty testing
Follow-up testing
 State law requires testing after ALL Reportable crashes
involving a school bus.
Driver Recertification
 Recertification Process in General
 Annual physical examination
 Change of information on license
Driver Recertification General
 PA law requires recertification every 4 years
 10 hours of instruction
 7 hours classroom instruction
 3 hours in-bus instruction
 “S” endorsement skills and knowledge exam
 To be completed no more than 12 months prior to
expiration date of school bus endorsement card
Annual Physical Examination
 Annual requirement
 Examination by a health care provider
 School bus endorsement card will not be renewed
without physical exam
Change of Information on License
 New camera card or photo license issued when:
 Adding or deleting an endorsement
 Removing a restriction
 Upgrading class of license
 When changing name or address on CDL or school bus
endorsement card, submit form DL-80CD with
appropriate fee
Key Resource…
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/centers/SchoolBusCenter.shtml