Job Description

Position:                      Bus Driver

Reports to:                  Transportation Supervisor/Director

Site:                             Transportation Barn

FLSA:                         Non - Exempt

Contract Length:        9 Month/184 days

Purpose:                      Under general supervision, drives a school bus to transport students over specific routes according to time schedule, to and from school and on special trips in a safe and professional manner.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED);
• Must be 21 years of age;
• Valid Commercial Driver’s License with required endorsements to operate a school bus in the state of New Mexico, this license must be maintained of the duration of the assignment;
• A valid copy of the Department of Transportation Physical Examination Certification, indicating that the employee is physically qualified to operate a commercial vehicle in accordance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) 391. (Physical must be maintained for duration of assignment);
• Must provide a copy of current driving history issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at time of application;
• Must be able to pass a drug test upon employment and participate in required drug testing and abides by regulations;
• Must have a clear/safe driving record with no points against the record;
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective relationship with students, peers and parents;
• Ability to communicate with students effectively;
• Ability to define problems, collect information, establish facts and draw valid conclusions and effectively present information and respond to question from supervisor, principals, and the general public;
• Able to perform the following essential duties, physical and mental functions and utilize the essential equipment of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Essential Duties:

• Drives a school bus to transport students to and from school and on special trips safely and professionally;
• Supervises students and maintains order on the bus and issues citations as necessary;
• Perform, properly complete and submit daily pre-trip inspections, transportation reports and other necessary reports as required;
• Checks mechanical conditions, gas, oil, other fluids, and tires, and inspects safety equipment of assigned bus before leaving on route;
• Conducts emergency evacuation drills for students on buses;
• Deals with stressful conditions in a professional manner;
• Conforms to safety standards prescribed;
• Complies with all traffic ordinances;
• Complies with discipline policies set forth in the School Code of Conduct for Transportation;
• Must have patience, be neat, personable, kind, and courteous;
• Participates in on-site training;
• Shows proficiency in handling and maneuvering school bus;
• Confers with the Transportation Supervisor and/or Principal on students’ behavior;
• Assist students with disabilities and makes accommodations as addressed in their Individual Education Plan;
• Creates an environment that is conducive to safe and appropriate for passengers;
• Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, and the bus;
• Perform assigned duties in a timely basis.

Physical Functions:

Majority of tasks and duties are performed outdoors and in confined work areas.  Work area involves being in and around large vehicles/buses.

Frequent travel in parking lots, freeways, roadways, private streets, and private complexes as needed.

Frequently required to sit, reach, grasp, bend, twist, stoop, talk, listen, walk, and climb;

Usually walks on uneven surfaces outdoors and on even surfaces inside the vehicle;

Must possess enough strength and power grasp to properly secure straps when securing special equipment and/or students.

Pushing/pulling: up to 150-175 lbs., transitioning of student(s) in wheelchairs on/off the bus.

Lifting: up to 150, occasionally 50-60 lbs, frequently 10 -25 lbs. constantly,

Carrying:  up to 20 – 25 lbs., up to 30 minutes a day;

Hand and eye coordination in operating the bus in transportation of students;

Exposed to various degrees of noises (talking, music, traffic, etc.). The noise level in the bus environment is usually moderate to loud;

Exposed to outdoor weather temperatures ranging from mild/moderate to extreme cold/heat, icy and windy conditions;

            Works in close proximity of other individuals;

General vision, corrected to 20/20, reads a multitude of road signs, maps, forms, logs and correspondence.  Ability to adjust visual focus from varying distances (dash board to road).

Mental Functions:

Must be able to:

• apply knowledge of requirements of bus drivers and safe driving;
• plan and implement bus inspections and preventive maintenance for assigned bus;
• read, analyze and interpret vehicle gauges, maps and road signs;
• interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written and oral form;
• deal with students and parents in such a way to maintain their goodwill;
• respond appropriately to student behavior and discipline;
• respond appropriately to supervision and accept recommendations;
• present information effectively and respond to questions from students parents, peers, mechanics and supervisor.

Essential equipment:

Equipment bus, tire gauge,