Becoming a bus driver

Bus drivers play an essential role in the educational journey of the Black Gold School Division students.

We have 81 bus routes that transport over 4,200 students safely to and from school each day. Our Transportation department works closely with several area contractors, many of whom are looking to add to their ranks of capable, safety-oriented bus drivers and ensure everyone continues to get to and from school safely each day.

Why drive a bus?

Bus driving offers a unique, flexible employment opportunity*:

• Find a perfect fit if you’re looking for part-time hours. Work a split day shift from Monday to Friday. This allows for another job to be worked between the bus runs.
• It may be possible to bring a preschool child along on your route, and save on daycare costs if there is room on the bus.
• Take summers and holidays off with your children.
• Receive training to upgrade to a Class 2 license
• Receive a government grant for training

Note: Benefits may vary by contractor.

Driver shortages at the Black Gold School Division

Our bus contractors are working hard to ensure every route has a driver. We anticipate that at times we will experience driver shortages and some routes may not be able to run every day. Shortages may occur due to a combination of illness or lack of substitute drivers.

Our Transportation department will work with bus contractors to try and avoid this scenario; however, as we enter the annual cold and flu season, or if COVID-19 cases increase, the frequency at which route cancellations occur may also increase.

If you are interested in driving a school bus, we will put you in touch with a contractor in the area/community that you would like to work in. You can also contact a contractor directly.

Once you are hired by a contractor, the Division will cover the cost of training so that you can obtain your license. If you already have a Class 1 license, we will cover the cost of the S-Endorsement course to upgrade your license.

The Division applies for the government grant on behalf of the driver so that they can receive compensation for their time during the training period. This is applied for quarterly.

Questions? Please contact the Transportation department at transportation@blackgold.ca.

Our contractors