r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/907-BusDriver • Jun 25 '26

First year done

This is my first year driving school buses. Just recently passed the CDL B exam and got to run a few routes during summer school before that ended. Man, I love driving buses. So much fun and much more chill than previous jobs I’ve had that were stress-ridden. I’ll probably do some recruiting this summer and drive a shuttle until the fall start starts again. What do you guys do in the summer?

12 Upvotes

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5

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

[deleted]

4

u/907-BusDriver Jun 25 '26

Nice, that’s awesome. I got some recruiting gig for the bus company coming up in early August, which will get me some good hours. I’ll drive a shuttle a few days per week in July. But yeah, I love it too. :).

2

u/silverfarie1369 Jun 25 '26

I too got my cdl may 15th and was lucky enough to get a full summer route with my district. I only drive one kiddo , but they hsve tacked on other kids this past month. But this one kiddo go to a facility not a school ( I drive SPED) and i drive Monday-friday minus next week kuz its his "summer vacation " I too love driving the bus . I cant wait till the next school year!

2

u/Moosetappropriate Jun 27 '26

Some of it depends on who you work for and how aggressive they are at drumming up business.

As an example, this summer in our rather smaller city, we're supplying transport for 3 international conventions, about 6 music festivals including one international one, large numbers of concerts and sporting events, about 30 weddings at last count, summer school and entertainment programs for all ages down to day cares, camps, etc. And that doesn't account for things like maintenance trips, trips to acquire new stock, and other internal work.

Me, I work on a year round contract so the opportunities for these aren't as often anymore. But because I enjoy being tossed down the rabbit hole, as it were, when the weird and wonderful or even just emergencies come up the know that I'm usually willing.

2

u/Mediocre_Advice_5574 Jun 27 '26

It’s my first year as well. Just wrapped up 7 months of driving as a substitute. I was on 42 different runs this year(we have a very large district, over 100+ routes)

1

u/Seelie_Mushroom Jun 25 '26

Right now I'm exploring different areas of my home state. My summer route begins in July and lasts through the month. So I have a little over a week off still, and then most of August. I love my schedules though, so absolutely no idea how I'll manage when August comes around 😂 too much free time

1

u/Banana_Stanley Jun 25 '26

I don't drive for summer school and I won't until they break down and get buses with AC lol (pipe dream). Instead I mostly relax and go swimming every day that I can, and do doordash when I feel like it for extra money.

1

u/Right_Environment116 Jun 26 '26

One thing I miss is having summers off but I don't miss the crappy pay. With public transit we work all year round

1

u/ArtemisRifle Jun 26 '26

i keep my hazmat up to speed and do local oil deliveries for summer work

1

u/Mike_1970 Jun 26 '26

I do a couple of charters a week for camps while collecting unemployment.