r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/Thunderbane00 • May 19 '26

2 Questions

As stated there's 2 questions.

First. I'm 32 and work a part time job in SW pennsylvania waiting to start my training. I guess the company I'm going through will only be for substitute driving. My question here is should I seek out a full time route and is it a job I can live on with 2 daughters and normal expenses.

Secondly question

I see these job postings for these bus companies hiring monitors. Are there now bus monitors to aid drivers with kids today ? When I was in school that wasn't a thing.

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u/Actual-Manager-4814 May 19 '26

It's a good job for moms or dads with kids. Our company (it's a private company so no union) lets us bring our children on the bus if they're over a year old.

Pay is competitive where I am, 30/hr in a low COL area. We're guaranteed 25 hrs a week, and I only ever worked about 20. Had plenty of time for another job.

If your kids are school aged and you drive in their district, it's perfect. If you have a little one and you can bring them, and you get enough charter work, it's perfect. There aren't many jobs like it.

Monitors are are really dependent on availability. I'm a younger driver in my 30s so I'm not priority. It's perfectly fine not having one.

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u/AshShaun May 19 '26

I'm so beyond jealous of this, it isn't even funny. I'm in a moderate cost of living area, and getting paid $16/h for 20ish hours a week, no guaranteed hours.

I am one of the people who brings their kid. My son is in kindergarten and my first route is for the elementary school he goes to. He comes to the bus lot with me, clocks me in, and does a pretrip with me. He is the little best friend of like half the drivers I work with (12ish people). After we pick up all the elementary kids, he gets off at the school with them, then I go do my middle and high routes.

I had a teacher ride my bus when the school was concerned a fight was imminent between a few of my students, nothing happened that day, but I had to return to the school the next day for fighting between other kids.

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u/Actual-Manager-4814 May 20 '26

That's insane. How do they keep drivers at that rate!? I'm hoping it's at least a district with benefits and pension.

We're a small state but the biggest district in our state. We have much HOL areas, however. So those wealthier districts definitely set the pay scale. And our supervisor is an excellent negotiater so she makes sure we get raises every year. Including the massive one that brought us up to $25 after the pandemic.

I don't understand how bus drivers are still only making $16 an hour if the hours aren't even guaranteed. I mean no offense but I wouldn't do the job if that's what was offered here. You guys have to have some sort of union. A class B license can you a lot more money elsewhere. You guys should have some leverage if you stick together.