Driving a school bus can seem a little intimidating, but once you’ve experienced it for a few days, it’s a job that can be rewarding and fulfilling.
That was the message at a hands-on hiring event hosted First Student, Halton Student Transportation Services and Franco Bus Wednesday at Burlington Centre. Prospective driver candidates and members of the media were invited to get behind the wheel of a 40-foot bus and steer it around a closed course. I jumped at the chance, but first spoke to on-site trainer Scott Vail to find out more about the job.
Vail, location safety manager for First Student, started out as a bus driver several years ago. He said working for the company is one of the best things he’s ever done. Downsized from a banking career five years ago, Vail said First Student welcomed him on board and made him feel at home right away.
So much so that the father of three was able to take his one-year-old daughter Madison with him to work every day as he shuttled children to school each morning and home in the afternoon.
It’s the perfect career for those with wee ones still in school since its flexibility is ideal, Vail noted. Drivers work a flexible, set schedule with nights, weekends and holidays off.
“You can make a difference in children’s lives,” he said. “And I know that I made a difference for my daughter, being there for her. I ended up saving lots of money that would have been spent on daycare. And I got to spend quality time with my daughter.”
He acknowledges that he had to wake Madison up earlier than usual, but he would have had to do that to get her off to daycare to go to work anyway. Parents can bring their own car seat, and leave it right in the bus. They can also park the bus closer to home if there is a place they have in mind, rather than heading to the depot on Dundas Street.
Now, his daughter is five and going to kindergarten, but she knows school bus rules, Vail added. “She absolutely loves the school bus. The other day she pointed out a bus that wasn’t following proper protocols and said ‘Daddy, it wasn’t your bus (company).’”
He said some of the students on his bus looked forward to spending time with Madison, singing with her and interacting.
Vail said the company is good to employees, and truly places family first. He said it feels like he’s part of a bigger family thanks to First Student, which is also unionized, and provides a competitive starting wage of $20/hour and a sign-on bonus of up to $2,500 for experienced drivers. All training is provided.
“We’d like to hire hundreds of new drivers,” Vail said. “We need more drivers - the more the better, so we can service the community to provide transportation for the kids.”
Location manager Brian Bedal has been with First Student for 15 years. He said all of their trainers are Ministry of Transportation certified, meaning they can issue a class B Licence upon successful completion of training. First Student offers plenty of opportunities for drivers to move up the ranks to something else such as training, he added.
Bus driver training is 40 hours at the minimum, generally provided over a two-week period. People are also taught how to enforce the rules of a school bus to avoid disorderly behaviour.
Vail said it can appear intimidating to drive a bus, and most people are nervous at first.
“It’s like, ‘I think I can do this,’ to a couple of days later, knowing they can do it.”
First Student is the largest provider of school transportation in North America. The company has more than 30 locations in Ontario and operates some 3,550 school bus routes.
Candidates must be at least 21-years-old, pass all background checks and drug screens and have a valid driver’s licence with three years of driving experience.
First Student is seeking drivers who are committed to safety and customer service and who have genuine, caring attitudes toward children. Even the training schedule is flexible, with First Student offering evening and weekend training if necessary.
Vail said some of the First Student drivers have been driving the bus for more than 30 years. One of their mechanics has been employed for more than 40 years.
For more info an how to apply, visit online at workatfirst.com.
Some of the things I learned:
- It’s not as intimidating as it seems
- Buses are all automatic drive
- The steering wheel is big and comfortable to use
- It’s fun!
- There are seven mirrors on each 20-foot school bus
- There are a lot of buttons the driver must navigate to ensure students are safe, including the lights
- A tablet helps drivers navigate the route, see who will be riding the bus and view the schedule
- At the end of a shift, drivers scan a QR code at the back of the bus to ensure every child has been dropped off
- Big buses can hold 48 high school students or 72 younger students (it’s rare to see that many students on one bus)
- A bus starter starts each bus in the Dundas Street lot on cold mornings
- Two fans keep drivers cool in the summer
- There are several heaters in the bus, including heated mirrors; some buses have heated seats
- First Student’s main yard is at 5401 Dundas St. with satellite yards in Burlington and Oakville
- It could cost $6,000 for a driver to get his B-licence on their own
- Each bus has a two-way radio
- Drivers are responsible for a 15-minute safety check before heading out on a route each day
- Each bus has a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit, and drivers are offered first-aid, CPR training
