Rockford Public Schools officially start the 2019/2020 school year on September 3, and it's officially crunch time to get enough bus drivers hired for the upcoming school year,

Sure, there may be over a month of summer break left, but the bus driver training process takes over a month, so the time to apply is now!

Michael Slife, Transportation Director for RPS 205, recently told WIFR;

We ran all of last year with about 40 short of our drivers so we had mechanics driving, we had prep people driving, supervisors driving, I drove.

Once hired, bus drivers have to pass multiple trainings and tests, and many don't make it to completion which leaves many openings in the schedule.

Qualifications for interested candidates include:

  • High school diploma or equivalent, preferred
  • Good vision and hearing
  • Commercial CDL license with a passenger endorsement.  If using a bus with air brakes that must be included on the license.
  • Must participate in approximately 1 1/2 months of training which includes, 5 days of classroom training, 10 to 30 hours of bus driver training which includes ride-a-longs with other drivers as well as an 8 hour first aid training course.

Apply to be a bus driver, or see other job openings within RPS 205 now, here.

Catch Lil Zim on Q98.5 Mornings 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow her on TwitterInstagram, and Facebook

More From 96.7 The Eagle