A Rewarding Career as a School Bus Driver

David Clark, Saint Paul Public Schools, Three Time Grand Champion of the Minnesota State School Bus safety Road-E-O

Employment as a school bus driver or as a special education bus aide is rewarding and enjoyable. Indeed many of the drivers and aides transporting Saint Paul Public Schools students have driven school bus for thirty or more years. In addition to people who have made driving their career, drivers include college and technical school students, housewives, retirees, and people seeking a second income.

To operate a school bus a person must hold a valid Class A or B Minnesota Commercial Drivers License, or equivelent Commercial Drivers License issued by another state, with passenger and school bus endorsements. A person operating an air brake equipped bus may not be air brake restricted.

Each applicant must pass a physical examination meeting the standards contained in United States Department of Transportation Regulations as stated in Part 49 Code of Federal Requlations (s.49CFR).

Each applicant must pass a criminal background check conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. An applicant may not have a disqualifying offense as specified in Minnesota Statutes. A person who has not resided in Minnesota for at least five continuous years must provide fingerprints to the Department of Public Safety for a criminal background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

School bus drivers are subject to testing for the prescence of alcohol and controlled substances under Part 49.382 (s.49CFR382) of the Code of Federal Regulations. Each applicant must pass a pre-employment test for the prescense of controlled substances and is subject to random, incident, and post accident testing for the prescense of alcohol and controlled substances.

The vast majority of the transportation service provided to Saint Paul Public, non-public, and charter school students is provided by our four private contractors. Training is provided to eligible applicants by the prospective employer and each contractor holds the authority to license commercial drivers as a Third Party Examiner

for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Information on the requirements to become a school bus driver are contained in the Minnesota School Bus Driver Handbook which is available below in pdf format. Information on employment as a school bus driver may be obtained from our contractors:

Comfort Bus Company/Centerline Travel
1870 Rice Street
Located on Rice Street North of Larpenuer Avenue in Maplewood
651-482-1524

First Student Snelling Terminal
(Located near Snelling Avenue and Como Avenue)
1102 North Snelling Avenuue
Saint Paul
Contact Betty Moses at 651-645-3959

First Student Oakdale Terminal
(Located on Stillwater Boulevard East of Century Avenue)
6349 Stillwater Boulevard
Oakdale
651-777-2319

Monarch Bus Company
(A division of Minnesota Coaches)
1743 County Road C West
Roseville
651-251-8080

Safeway Bus Company
(Located near 55th and Cahill)
6030 Carmen Avenue East
Inver Grove Heights
651-451-1375

Sunburst Transit, Inc.
732 30th Avenue Southeast,
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-238-0412

More information on the contractors, including maps showing the locations of each terminal, is available by clicking the Directions to our contractors terminals link at the bottom of this page.

The Saint Paul Public Schools has infrequent openings for school bus drivers and van drivers. When opening occur positions are posted on the District Human Resouces Department listing of available job openings. The listing of all current District job openings may be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Special education bus aides are employees of the Saint Paul Public Schools. Normally bus aides ride the school bus to and from school and are employed as classroom aides during the school day. Information on employment as a special education bus/classroom aide may be obtained from the Saint Paul Public Schools Human Resources Department at 651-767-8200.

Current Job Openings with the Saint Paul Public Schools

Directions to our contractors terminals More information, including maps showing the terminal locations, are available by clicking this link.

Schoolbusdriverspecialneeds.pdf SPPS job description for School Bus Driver-Special Needs

Vandriverspecialneeds.pdf SPPS job description for Van Driver - Special Needs

MnSchbusdriversHandbook.pdf The Minnesota Department of Public Safety School Bus Drivers Handbook outlines the basic requirements to operate a school bus in Minnesota.

CDL_Requirements.pdf Minnesota School Bus Driver License Requirements

MN08CDLManual.pdf Minnesota Commercial Vehicle Driver's Manual