What Training Does Your Bus Driver Have?

To become a school bus driver, drivers must acquire a Commercial Drivers License with a School Bus, Passenger and Air Brake endorsement. To gain and maintain this license and endorsement they must:

  1.  They must pass 4 extensive written tests to get their permit. These tests included knowledge of school buses, air brakes, NYS driving laws, commercial vehicles, safety, and more.
  2. They must pass a NYSDOT physical and initial drug test.
  3. They must receive fingerprint clearance through BCI and FBI.
  4. They must take an Article 19-A road test using a full size (65 passenger) school bus.
  5. They must take a 3 hour pre-service training.
  6. They must pass a DOT School Bus Physical Performance Test.
  7. They must take a 30 hour NYSED School Bus Driver Training Course.

Continuing requirements, some annual and some biennial:

  1. Two NYSED Bus Driver Refresher courses annually.
  2. DOT Physical annually.
  3. NYSED School Bus Physical Performance Test biennially.
  4. An Article 19-A Behind-the-Wheel Driving Test biennially.
  5. An Article 19-A Defensive Driving Test annually.
  6. Take a Article 19-A Written Test biennially.
  7. Submit to random drug and alcohol testing.
  8. Article 19-A Driving Record Review annually.

Follow the links below to see the regulations:

New Yorks State DMV Article 19-A Regulations This link will open in a new tab.

New York State Department of Education This link will open in a new tab.

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