Bus drivers needed! Prince George’s County Public Schools hosting job fair to address bus driver shortage

Prince George's County Public Schools is addressing a nationwide school bus driver shortage by hosting a bus driver training job fair Wednesday.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Prince George's County Public Schools is addressing a nationwide school bus driver shortage by hosting a bus driver training job fair Wednesday.

The job fair will be held at Dr. Henry Wise, Jr. High School at 12650 Brooke Lane in Upper Marlboro from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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School Bus

"We certainly have enough buses. What we don't have are enough drivers," Dr. Rudolph Saunders, Director of Transportation at Prince George's County Public Schools told FOX 5's Bob Barnard ahead of the job fair. Saunders said making sure the buses run efficiently and making sure the students are safe are his priorities.

Prince George's County is short about 150 drivers which Saunders says impacts their ability to pick up and drop off the students on time.

The starting pay ranges between $18 and $35 an hour. Applicants must meet certain requirements including being at least 21-years-old, having their CDL and having a clean driving record.

Full details HERE and BELOW:

Free Paid Training! Register Today for Bus Driver Job Fair January 15

On Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Dr. Henry Wise, Jr. High School, 12650 Brooke Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 from 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Prince George's County Public Schools is hosting a bus driver fair.

Pre-registration is preferred, and can be completed by clicking here.

PGCPS bus drivers provide the safe transportation of students and school personnel. Interested candidates must meet the following requirements:

Your driving record is mandatory to interview, less than 30-days old

If you are licensed in the following states please make sure your driving record indicates the following:

Maryland – Complete Driving Record
District of Columbia – 10 year History Driving Record
Virginia – Seven Year History

You also must meet these requirements:

No more than 3 points in your 10 year driving history
Satisfactory past driving record
At least 21-years-old
At least five years driving experience
Ability to obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), Class A or B with passenger endorsement or Class B Learners Permit with passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements
Ability to meet special training and qualifications determined by PGCPS

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

PGCPS offers our bus drivers a starting salary of $18.41 per hour, with advancement opportunity up to $35.17 per hour. We also provide our employees with a comprehensive package of benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as retirement plans.

Paid commercial drivers license (CDL) training is provided to all new hires. A complete history driving record is required for Maryland drivers, a 10 year driving record is required for District of Columbia drivers and a 7 year history driving record is required for Virginia drivers. PGCPS bus drivers are expected to attend bus driver training and undergo testing. This includes:

Safety Meetings and Training

Monthly Safety Meetings
Training Topics: Sexual Harassment, Homelessness Training, Child Abuse Recognition, Driver Improvement Program, Alcohol Drug Testing, Fatigue & Drug Awareness Training
Transportation Academy: Allows Transportation employees the opportunity to increase their knowledge of the pupil transportation industry for possible further advancement in the department

Driver Improvement Program

The Driver Improvement Program provides the driver with techniques to enable the experienced vehicle operator to know where the front, rear and sides of the bus are while driving forward, backward, and turning maneuvers. The course is structured to improve driver’s overall skills in the performance of their daily duties.

Alcohol and Drug Testing Program

Every driver submits to pre-employment and random drug testing, as well as post-accident and reasonable cause. Alcohol Testing is done randomly, post-accident, or with reasonable cause.

APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.pgcps.org. Click “Careers” and enter job code IRC131740.

CONTACT US

For more information about the hiring of school bus drivers, contact Nicole Eubanks at nicole.eubanks@pgcps.org or contact the Human Resources Customer Service Center at 301-780-2191.