School Bus Driver

Job Description

Job Description

School Bus Driver

Integration Charter Schools is dedicated to providing innovative pathways to college that fully integrate students living with emotional challenges and others with special needs. In building a family of associated schools that share this common mission, ICS strives to fill gaps in public education. 

Summary

ICS is seeking a dependable, safety-focused full-time School Bus Driver to transport students on daily local routes and on activity trips that include overnight, multi-day, and out-of-state travel. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the Bus Driver is responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle, the wellbeing of every student on board, and representing ICS professionally at every destination.

For many of our students, the bus is the first ICS experience of the day and the last one before home. That makes this role a frontline part of our wraparound service model, not a service on the edge of it. The driver who greets a child by name sets the tone for everything that follows.

Our Vision and "The Bar"

Our vision is to reimagine what public education can be—a place where schools serve not only as centers of learning, but as hubs of opportunity and transformation for children, families, and our faculty. We believe that amazing things happen when we remove obstacles and meet every child and family exactly where they are.

The bar is high—by design. Every member of this staff, behind the wheel included, is a standard-bearer of that vision. The Bar at ICS means:

1. Leading with Love and Liberation — meeting every rider with patience and warmth, especially students whose emotional or physical needs make the ride hard.
2. Doing Whatever It Takes — No Excuses, No Ego — the route runs, the trip departs, and the child gets home safely, whatever the weather, traffic, or hour.
3. Modeling Collaboration and Coherence — working in step with the Transportation Coordinator, teachers, aides, coaches, and families so no detail falls between hands.
4. Holding Ourselves and Each Other Accountable — owning inspections, records, and mistakes honestly and immediately, without waiting to be asked.
5. Building Schools Where Belonging Is Non-Negotiable — making the bus a place where every student is safe, known, and welcome from the first stop of the morning.

We will do whatever it takes to set the standard for excellence for kids and families—to push beyond compliance, beyond expectation, and beyond convention.

Key Responsibilities

Daily Local Routes

• Operate an assigned route safely and on schedule, following all traffic laws and ICS transportation policies.
• Pick up and drop off students only at approved stops, verifying safe loading and unloading each time.
• Conduct and document pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections.
• Maintain accurate records: mileage, ridership, fuel, incidents, and maintenance concerns.
• Keep the bus clean, fueled, and ready for service.
• Greet students by name and build the daily consistency that helps our riders start and end the day steady.

Activity, Athletic, and Field Trips

• Drive students, coaches, and chaperones to games, competitions, performances, and educational trips.
• Coordinate with trip sponsors on schedules, departure times, and route changes.
• Remain available on-site or on-call during the event as assigned.

Overnight and Extended Travel (In-State and Out-of-State)

• Drive multi-day trips requiring one or more consecutive nights away from home, both within New York and across state lines.
• Comply with federal hours-of-service rules and required rest periods on interstate trips.
• Plan fuel stops, rest breaks, and overnight parking; secure and monitor the vehicle at hotels and venues.
• Assist staff with student head counts, luggage loading, and departure timelines.
• Serve as a visible, professional representative of ICS while traveling.
• Lodging and meal per diem are provided by ICS for overnight assignments.

Student Safety, Conduct, and Belonging

• Enforce bus rules calmly and consistently; report behavior concerns to school administration.
• De-escalate with patience rather than volume, recognizing that many ICS students are managing emotional challenges and that the ride itself can be a trigger point.
• Operate a wheelchair lift and secure mobility equipment correctly where assigned.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies, breakdowns, severe weather, and medical situations.
• Complete required accident, incident, and injury reports promptly.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding students and families.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements Current DOT medical examiner’s certificate.
• Clean driving record acceptable to ICS and its insurance carrier.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing under FMCSA requirements.
• Willingness and availability to travel overnight, including weekends and multi-day trips out of state.
• Genuine commitment to the ICS mission and to students with emotional challenges and special needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of school bus or commercial passenger driving experience.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.
• Experience with long-distance or charter-style travel.
• Experience transporting students with disabilities or behavioral support needs.
• Comfort using GPS, routing software, and mobile communication tools.

Physical Requirements

• Sit and drive for extended periods, including long-distance travel days.
• Board and exit the bus repeatedly; operate a wheelchair lift if assigned.
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds (luggage, equipment, emergency supplies).
• Sufficient vision, hearing, and reaction time to meet DOT standards.
• Work outdoors in varied weather while inspecting or servicing the vehicle.

Compensation and Benefits

$55K-$65K