To become a school bus driver, drivers must acquire a Commercial Drivers License with a School Bus 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 transporting passengers.
2. They must pass a NYSDOT physical and drug test.
3. They must receive fingerprint clearance from NYS Department of Criminal Justice and the FBI.
4. They must take a NYSDMV 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.
8. Other requirements, some annual and some biennial:
A. Two NYSED Bus Driver Refresher courses annually
B. NYSDOT Physical annually
C. NYSED School Bus Physical Performance Test biennially
D. A NYSDMV Behind-the-Wheel Driving Test biennially
E. A NYSDMV Defensive Driving Test biennially
F. Take a NYSDMV Written Test biennially
G. Submit to random drug and alcohol testing
H. Driving Record Review annually
