Bus Driver 2026-2027 JobID: 5082
Position Type:
Support Staff
Date Posted:
6/2/2026
Location:
Transportation
Southeast Polk Community School District
Job Description
Job Title: Bus Driver
Qualifications:
Required:
High School Diploma or GED
Must be 21 years of age or older
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) - (with passenger bus endorsement, S endorsement, and air break)
State of Iowa school bus operators permit
Ability to learn the operation of various buses and handicap equipment.
Computer skills useful for maintaining routing and student database.
Successful completion of physical, criminal background and child abuse registry check, and pre-work screening at time of hire.
Successful experience and competency working in a culturally diverse learning environment.
Desired:
American Heart or Red Cross First Aid/CPR certification.
Practical knowledge of characteristics and needs of Special Education students.
One year minimum experience operating a passenger bus.
Reports To: Transportation Director
Job Goal:
Operate a school bus in a safe and efficient manner to insure safety of passengers. This position requires continuous use of independent judgment. The performance responsibilities as show below represent only the key areas of responsibility; specific position requirements will vary depending on the needs of the transportation department.
Performance Responsibilities:
Drive and operate a bus, van or passenger vehicle safely and in conformance with District policy and procedures as well as local, state and federal laws and regulations.
Memorize bus routes, street and roads, and school locations keeping route information current at all times.
Drive the routes as assigned without deviation unless authorized to do so or specific emergency and common sense dictates otherwise for that incident.
Maintain good driving habits, practice defensive driving over city, county, and state streets and roads under all @types of weather conditions and exercise extra caution when driving around school buildings where children are present.
Provide support and instruction to students in order to understand school bus safety rules.
Conduct safe and orderly loading and unloading of students.
Provides guidance to bus associates in the performance of their respective assignments and duties; providing training as needed.
Must be capable of maintaining discipline and control on the bus at stops, transfer stations, and while in operation.
Report inappropriate student conduct to the Transportation Director immediately upon completion of route.
Report to the mechanic or Transportation Director of any and all mechanical problems immediately.
Report performance problems and bring workload, routing, pre-trip inspection sheets and scheduling problems to the attention of the Director of Transportation.
Participate in all training pertaining to the job; including but not limited to mandatory bus evacuation drills as assigned by the Director of Transportation.
Work with minimum supervision in accordance with published and verbal standards, guidelines, policies and procedures.
Ensure that bus, van or passenger vehicle is clean inside and out, maintained and serviced; perform daily vehicle inspections; fuel vehicles and record usage on daily logs.
Maintain up to date driver records such as physical, and school permits, pre-trip inspection paperwork and all other paperwork as required.
Monitor radio and cell phones and provide radio/cell phone communication.
Drug, tobacco and alcohol free at all times while working.
Participate in all drug and alcohol testing.
Dependability and reliability are essential.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, parents, and community members.
Exhibit a positive attitude toward students.
Meet with special education teachers to review the students' disabilities and how they might meet the students' needs as well as improve behavior on the bus.
Attend annual Blood borne Pathogen Training and other staff development provided by the District.
Physical Demands
Must have physical dexterity in limbs and digits and be free of impairment of the use of a foot, leg, hand, finger, or an arm or other structural defects of limitations likely to interfere with the ability to safely control a school bus, other motor vehicles used for transporting students and handicap lift equipment.
Must be capable of assisting in the emergency evacuation of students riding the bus by extraction through emergency windows, doors and roof exits including:
Stepping down 3.5 feet from the bus floor to the ground out the rear bus emergency door.
Lifting students weighing up to 50 pounds.
Must be capable of dragging 125 pounds for a distance of 100 feet.
Must be capable of sitting up to 1 hour per setting.
Must be capable of standing up to 30 minutes at a time.
Must be capable of walking up to 150' to bus under adverse walking surface conditions.
Must be capable of operating bus controls requiring up to 30 lbs. force.
Must be capable of climbing 4 bus entry steps.
Must be capable of trunk rotation and trunk bending for up to 3 minutes at a time.
Must be capable of squatting for up to 2 minutes.
Must be capable of operating handicap lift equipment, emergency window, door exits and opening engine hood with pull forces up to 60 lbs.
Must present appropriate appearance and personal cleanliness suited to working in close proximity to school children and teachers.
Must be capable of working with co-workers with different personalities.
Must be capable of using flammable and combustible fuels, lubricants, and engine coolants and cleaning chemical with appropriate PPE's.
Must be capable of working in extreme temperatures and humidity and other environmental conditions.
Must be able to handle situations where contact with bodily fluids is possible. Bodily fluids may be feces, vomit, and urine, mucus from the nose or mouth.
Note: The physical demands described above represent real life tasks an employee may need to perform as part of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While the frequency may be low, the above stated physical demands may be required during the course of a daily work shift. Tasks that have physical demands that exceed the above stated limits should only be performed with sufficient manpower or material handling equipment.
Clothing:
Street Clothes.
Appropriate clothing and/or protective equipment required by the task; such as coats, hats and gloves and anti-slip footwear when walking on ice while operating the bus during cold winter periods.
Equipment / Tools
Vacuum cleaner, brooms, mops, rags, buckets, garbage liners and cans, cleaning chemicals, and dust pan for cleanup operations.
Two-way radio equipment and cellular telephones.
High pressure spray washer, air compressor, fuel dispensing equipment.
Shovels and ice scrappers for winter operations.
Terms of Employment:
Employment based on need.
Hours as assigned by Supervisor
Evaluation:
Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of Southeast Polk Board Policy.
Disclaimer:
The statements of this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel in this position. These statements are not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his or her supervision.
It is the policy of the Southeast Polk Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), genetic information (for employment), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact, Joseph M. Horton, Deputy Superintendent, Equal Opportunity Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator, Southeast Polk District Office, 8031 NE University Ave., Pleasant Hill, IA 50327, (515)-967-4294,joseph.horton@southeastpolk.org. Inquiries or grievances may also be directed to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Des Moines, IA, 50319-0201, (515) 281-4121; or the U.S. Department of Education, Region VII Office of Civil Rights, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago IL 60661.
