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School Bus Driver Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top School Bus Driver interview questions and answers.

  1. How do you build relationships with students and their parents? See answer
  2. What is your experience completing pre-trip inspections of your bus? See answer
  3. How do you prepare for an unfamiliar route? See answer
  4. Do you have any additional safety training that supports your job as a school bus driver? See answer
  5. Describe the qualifications that allow you to drive a school bus legally. See answer
  6. What is your approach to discipline on your school bus? See answer
  7. Describe your previous driving experience. See answer
  8. You have a minor accident when driving with students on board. What is your first priority? See answer
  9. A parent asks you to drop off their child at a different location. How do you handle the situation? See answer
  10. As a school bus driver, what is your top priority? See answer
  11. What qualities do you have that make you a great school bus driver? See answer
  12. How do you handle being stuck it traffic with a bus full of children returning home from school? See answer
  13. Why do you want to be a school bus driver for our company? See answer
  14. While loading at school for the trip home, someone approaches you to pick up a child. Neither you nor the child knows them. What do you do?
  15. How do you handle a child who won’t stay seated while you’re driving?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 School Bus Driver Interview Questions and Answers

How do you build relationships with students and their parents?

A competent school bus driver understands the importance of building positive relationships with their passengers and their parents. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach to building rapport and trust with students and parents on their route. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to build rapport and trust with children and parents
  • Communication skills to speak with children at their level of understanding
  • Welcoming attitude to make students feel safe and comfortable

Example:

"Building a relationship with both the students and their parents starts the very first day of the school year. I make an effort to learn and remember their names. I also..."

What is your experience completing pre-trip inspections of your bus?

A school bus driver must complete and document a pre-trip inspection of the bus before leaving on their route. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to follow protocol and remain safety-focused. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to read and write in English or French, depending on the school district
  • Awareness of all safety protocol and areas to inspect before moving the bus
  • Ability to follow company procedures and complete required documentation

Example:

"As a school bus driver for over three years, I'm very familiar with pre-trip inspections. I have a record book that I keep in my bus at all times to record any incidents or passenger issues as well. You can confirm with my references that I consistently completed and handed in my pre-trip inspection reports."

How do you prepare for an unfamiliar route?

A school bus driver typically works morning and afternoons but can pick up additional routes. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's process to prepare. What to look for in an answer:

  • Commitment to being efficient and on time
  • Understanding of the geographic location they work within
  • Ability to follow a specified route and specific stopping points

Example:

"When I pick up a new route that I've never done, the first thing I do is review information like stops and approximate times. I review the route on a map to familiarise myself with the roads."

Do you have any additional safety training that supports your job as a school bus driver?

You may require a school bus driver to complete additional safety training for the role. The goal is to evaluate the candidate's attitude towards safety and the training they've done. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interest in maintaining safety for their passengers
  • Interest in professional development opportunities
  • Understanding of basic safety and first aid procedures

Example:

"Although it isn't a formal requirement, I have completed first aid and CPR so that I'm able to respond in case of any emergency. Because my passengers are children, I feel it's my responsibility to know first aid to be a first responder if needed."

Describe the qualifications that allow you to drive a school bus legally.

A school bus driver must have the legal qualifications for the province or territory they are driving in. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's formal qualifications, such as their licence class. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of appropriate driving licence required within the province or territory
  • Completion of other verification processes, such as a criminal record check
  • Interest in maintaining current qualifications

Example:

"As a school bus driver in Alberta, I have my class two licence with air brake certificate. I also have a current criminal record, vulnerable sector, and child welfare record check that I've attached to my application."

What is your approach to discipline on your school bus?

A school bus driver must confidently handle the occupants of the vehicle and provide clear expectations. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach to disciplining occupants when needed. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to develop a positive relationship with the students they transport
  • Communication skills to provide clear expectations and direction
  • Ability to handle discipline fairly and objectively

Example:

"I like to have specific rules on the bus, but also keep the atmosphere casual and fun. For example, I have a strict rule that all students must be seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. When students don't follow this, I give them one warning. If it happens again..."

Describe your previous driving experience.

A competent school bus driver must be comfortable driving in various road conditions and situations. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's prior driving experience. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to produce a clean driving record, often a required qualification
  • Comfortable with various road conditions, such as rain, snow, and fog
  • Interest in following defensive driving techniques to provide safe transportation

Example:

"I have been driving school bus routes for over four years now. I have a clean driving record, with no accidents or tickets, including speed and red lights. Living in rural Manitoba, I'm familiar with a wide variety of road conditions."

You have a minor accident when driving with students on board. What is your first priority?

A competent school bus driver must put the safety of their passengers as a top priority, as well as themselves and the public. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach to handling minor accidents as a driver. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to follow company policies and procedures
  • Interest in safeguarding the wellbeing of the occupants of the bus
  • Desire to follow local police regulations for minor accidents

Example:

"My first priority would be to ensure the safety of the children onboard. I'd stop in a safe location and check with each child that they aren't hurt. I would reassure them and contact my supervisor."

A parent asks you to drop off their child at a different location. How do you handle the situation?

Typically, a school bus driver must maintain the same route and not deviate even when a parent asks for a favour. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach to handling special requests and following company policy. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to follow company policies and procedures regarding parent's requests
  • Communication skills to explain the formal procedure of a change request to a parent
  • Interpersonal skills to be empathetic and understanding yet firm in what they can provide

Example:

"Based on the companies I've worked for, any change requests needed to be handled by the office administration for the safety of the child. I would politely explain this to the parent and provide them with the contact number."

What would you do if someone approached you to pick up a child, but neither you nor the student recognised them?

A competent school bus driver must be aware of risks to the students who are on their bus. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach to handling unknown people that can pose a threat to the occupant's safety. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to follow proper student protocol at all times
  • Communication skills to report the incident to the company or other authorities, as required
  • Interest in putting the safety of the child first

Example:

"If that situation happened to me, I would keep the student on the bus and ask the person to wait. I would then call the office to see if anything had changed with that specific student. Then I..."

As a school bus driver, what is your top priority?

A successful school bus driver has several critical duties and responsibilities in their job. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to prioritise and keep students safe. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding the full scope of their duties and responsibilities
  • Ability to prioritise their tasks independently
  • Critical thinking and analytical skills

Example:

"As a school bus driver, my priority is to transport students back and forth from school safely. This includes making sure they're safe within the bus itself and when loading and unloading. It also includes how I drive and how I conduct myself with the students."

What qualities do you have that make you a great school bus driver?

A successful school bus driver needs to balance safe transportation by creating an enjoyable experience for the students. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's unique qualities that support their success in the position. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to develop a positive relationship with the students on their bus
  • Interest in working with and ability to relate to children and young adults
  • Communication skills to provide clear rules and expectations

Example:

"Some qualities that make me a great school bus driver are my sense of humour, ability to relate to young people, and being approachable. I've developed wonderful professional friendships with some students who have been on my route for years."

How do you handle a child who won't stay seated while you're driving?

A competent school bus driver must handle unruly passengers with respect and firmness. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to deal with a student who won't follow the bus rules. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to provide clear rules and directions
  • Ability to appropriately relate to the age with respect and kindness while remaining firm
  • Interest in creating a safe environment for all occupants

Example:

"This is a common issue, especially for students who are new to riding on the bus. I make it clear that there's to be no standing when the bus is in motion. I provide one verbal warning and then..."

How do you handle being stuck it traffic with a bus full of children returning home from school?

A school bus driver must do their best to maintain a strict schedule yet prepare for unavoidable delays. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's response to handling a long wait in returning students home from school. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to use good judgement and assess the situation
  • Interest in following company policy and contacting the office to report a considerable delay
  • Communication skills to discuss the issue with the office administration

Example:

"If the delay looks like it isn't going to clear up, I would contact the office and let them know what's happening. When there's a considerable delay, it's policy for the office to let parents know."

Why do you want to be a school bus driver for our company?

An interview candidate should understand their motivation for applying for the position and identify what skills they bring to the job. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's motivation. What to look for in an answer:

  • Research before the interview
  • Motivation for pursuing the role
  • Ability to adapt their experience to the role

Example:

"I was excited to learn that you have regular school bus routes for your drivers, which prompted me to apply for the position. I enjoy getting to know the regular students on a specific route as I'm very organised and love sticking to a routine."

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