The Veterans In School Transportation Program Hire-A-Vet initiative is a State initiative to help local school districts hire school bus drivers that are military veterans in order to fill open school bus driver and school transportation positions.
School Bus Driver Training
Free school bus driver training is offered at many local public school districts. The free training is typically a public service for local communities. Many districts offer training during the summer as well as throughout the year. Training classes and schedules vary by district. Contact your local school district to ask if they provide free school bus driver training.
Contact information for local school districts is available on the Maine DOE at this link: https://neo.maine.gov/doe/neo/superSearch/Home/Index. Different part-time schedules and benefits are available based on location. Some positions include pay while learning to drive, hiring bonuses, or both. The pay range varies by location.
Commercial Driver License (CDL) Training Requirement. Applicants must complete a school bus driver entry-level driver training program. To drive a school bus which is a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), school bus drivers are required to have a commercial driver license (CDL) license with both school bus (S) and passenger (P) endorsements. Refer to the Maine Commercial Driver License Manual: http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/cdlmanual.pdf
School Bus Driver License
Questions about commercial driver license requirements should be directed to the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles at http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/commercial/.
Commercial Driver License (CDL) Exams. Applicants must pass a written test, for a permit, on topics such as general knowledge, passenger management, knowledge of air brakes and school bus operations. Pass a skills test to demonstrate ability to safely operate a school bus, including pre-trip and post-trip inspections and a behind-the-wheel drive test in a school bus.
Resources
Maine Hire-A-Vet Campaign website. This site also includes Military Culture 202 training videos.
U.S. DOT FMCSA Program to Assist Veterans To Acquire Commercial Driver’s Licenses Report To Congress
U.S. DOE, U.S. DOT, and U.S. DOL Strengthening Skills Training and Career Pathways Across the Transportation Industry: Data Report on Future Transportation Workforce Needs