Bus drivers needed as school draws near

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Operating at 44 schools in the district and transporting roughly 9,000 kids daily, School Bus Inc. is in search of what they call heroes to become full or part-time bus drivers.

“We need people to come in and apply to come on board and make a difference in kids’ lives by taking them to school each and every day,” Matt Dendy said, the transportation manager for School Bus Inc.

Dendy has worked in the transportation industry for 35 years.

“You can haul all kinds of freight, you can work in all kinds of transportation businesses all over the world, but you can not haul anything more valuable than a child,” Dendy said.

They’re offering a starting rate of $22 an hour, plus a $4,000 hiring bonus if you have a CDC as well as a passenger and school endorsement. Which is significant in a competitive job market.

“One thing we can offer than other companies cannot offer is not just a bonus, but the chance to really make a difference in a kid’s life,” Dendy said.

They’re even offering a $2,500 dollar hiring bonus to those without experience, once you complete the 14-day CDL training.

“We’ve had people come on board that have zero experience driving a bus or any other kind of large vehicle and they’re out there successfully taking kids to school every day,” Dendy said.

That’s because of people like Kevin Robertson, who is the lead driver trainer.

“A school bus is a pretty large vehicle. So we get them used to that, get them comfortable driving in traffic and taking turns and corners and things like that,” Robertson said.

They then take them on one of their school runs.

“They get to see first hand, us dealing with the kids as we’re driving and how we interact with them to keep them kind of calm,” Robertson said.

Robertson says forming a positive relationship with the kids can be the most rewarding part of the job.

“I love my job and I love my kids,” Robertson said.

You can apply to become a full or part-time driver on the School Bus Inc. website.

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