Bus Driver

About the role

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. Additional duties include performing custodial and maintenance tasks during times when not driving a school bus.

Responsibilities

• 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
• Performs, 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
• Able to establish and maintain an effective relationship with students, peers, and parents
• Able to communicate with students effectively
• Able 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

Requirements

• 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 for 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
• 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
• Abiltiy 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

Custodial and Maintenance Tasks

• Participates in on-site training
• Shows proficiency in handling and maneuvering school bus
• Confers with the Transportation Supervisor and/or Principal on students' behavior
• Aid students with disabilities and makes accommodations as addressed in their Individual Education Plan
• Create an environment and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, and the bus
• Perform general maintenance and custodial work indoors and outdoors within the transportation department and/or District school buildings
• Perform other duties as assigned 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 50-60lbs, 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