School Bus Driver Certification
School bus driver applicants are required to submit an application with three (3) references, pass a drug test, fingerprint background check, a physical and attain a CDL Class B permit with air brake and passenger endorsements from the DHSMV. Applicants attend a sixty-hour basic curriculum course to meet the qualifications and requirements of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida Department of Education, and the Department of Highway Safety Motor Vehicles. Upon completing the training program, the applicant must pass a CDL test that consists of the following skills: pre-trip inspection, skills course test, and a road test.
The basic curriculum for a school bus driver applicant includes the following:
- Accident Procedures
- Bullying Recognition and Intervention
- Bus Evacuation
- Bus Familiarization
- Bus operations
- Child Safety Restraint Systems
- Commercial Driver's License Requirements
- Community CPR/First Aid
- Critical Situations
- Defensive Driving Skills
- Drug and Alcohol Testing Procedures
- Lift Operation
- Passenger Field Trips
- Radio Communications
- Railroad Crossings
- Sexual Harassment Intervention
- Student Management Skills
- Student Stop Procedures
- Students with Special Needs
- Vehicle Inspections
All drivers, once training is completed, are hired as substitute drivers until a permanent bus assignment is available. These drivers are often paired with experienced drivers to practice the skills learned during training.