School Bus Driver

Integration Charter Schools•Staten Island, NY

61d•Onsite

About The Position

Integration Charter Schools is dedicated to providing innovative pathways to college that fully integrate students living with emotional challenges and others with special needs. In building a family of associated schools that share this common mission, ICS strives to fill gaps in public education. ICS is seeking a dependable, safety-focused full-time School Bus Driver to transport students on daily local routes and on activity trips that include overnight, multi-day, and out-of-state travel. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the Bus Driver is responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle, the wellbeing of every student on board, and representing ICS professionally at every destination. For many of our students, the bus is the first ICS experience of the day and the last one before home. That makes this role a frontline part of our wraparound service model, not a service on the edge of it. The driver who greets a child by name sets the tone for everything that follows.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements
Current DOT medical examiner’s certificate.
Clean driving record acceptable to ICS and its insurance carrier.
Ability to pass a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing under FMCSA requirements.
Willingness and availability to travel overnight, including weekends and multi-day trips out of state.
Genuine commitment to the ICS mission and to students with emotional challenges and special needs.

Nice To Haves

Three or more years of school bus or commercial passenger driving experience.
Current First Aid and CPR certification.
Experience with long-distance or charter-style travel.
Experience transporting students with disabilities or behavioral support needs.
Comfort using GPS, routing software, and mobile communication tools.

Responsibilities

Operate an assigned route safely and on-schedule, following all traffic laws and ICS transportation policies.
Pick up and drop off students only at approved stops, verifying safe loading and unloading each time.
Conduct and document pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections.
Maintain accurate records: mileage, ridership, fuel, incidents, and maintenance concerns.
Keep the bus clean, fueled, and ready for service.
Greet students by name and build the daily consistency that helps our riders start and end the day steady.
Drive students, coaches, and chaperones to games, competitions, performances, and educational trips.
Coordinate with trip sponsors on schedules, departure times, and route changes.
Remain available on-site or on-call during the event as assigned.
Drive multi-day trips requiring one or more consecutive nights away from home, both within New York and across state lines.
Comply with federal hours-of-service rules and required rest periods on interstate trips.
Plan fuel stops, rest breaks, and overnight parking; secure and monitor the vehicle at hotels and venues.
Assist staff with student head counts, luggage loading, and departure timelines.
Serve as a visible, professional representative of ICS while traveling.
Enforce bus rules calmly and consistently; report behavior concerns to school administration.
De-escalate with patience rather than volume, recognizing that many ICS students are managing emotional challenges and that the ride itself can be a trigger point.
Operate a wheelchair lift and secure mobility equipment correctly where assigned.
Respond appropriately to emergencies, breakdowns, severe weather, and medical situations.
Complete required accident, incident, and injury reports promptly.
Maintain confidentiality regarding students and families.