becoming a school bus driver

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Since last few years, more companies are making people pay their own Physicals, Drug Screens, etc., in order to get hired. If you are wanting to become a school bus driver, most schools here in Ohio force trainees to pay their own costs upfront, including their Fingerprinting-Background Check, and still have to train FOR FREE. There's no compensation for time being trained to drive a school bus, as most people can't afford going without an income for weeks at a time, including having to wait to take Road, etc., Test for the School Endorsement part to put on CDL License. As for Passenger Endorsement, people only need to pass written test and have it on their Temps, until transferring this Endorsement on their license. Then it's another $53.50 to take the Test, so if person flunks one portion of test first time, then it's more money to retake that portion, which consists of having only 30 mins. to do Pre-trip Inspection; 45 mins. for Manuevers; and what ever minutes it takes to do Road Test. School bus driving jobs here in OH pay average of $10-$15/hour, but a driver starts out as a sub, having no holiday pay or paid days off, or guarantee of over 20 hours a week. During Summer, a driver must find other employment to tie himself/herself over financially. If you are planning on becoming a school bus driver, think hard on this, as it's going to cost you at least $200 or more to get started. It's little wonder that schools can even recruit drivers at all; but, if I knew what I know now, still way cheaper than spending $3,700 to attend truck driving school, only to have to pay a few hundred dollars for my Class A CDL, as carriers pay poverty mileage wages. If schools and truck companies need drivers THAT bad, then they ought to treat the drivers they have with way more respect AND pay a lot better! 20-something cents per mile is what truck drivers made back in 1970, as cost of living has very much skyrocketed since then! I hope this helps anyone thinking of becoming either a truck or school bus driver. If you wish to drive a charter bus or limosuine, for example, you only need to take written Passenger Endorsement Test and pass, so to put on your CDL License, which can either be a Class A or B. Happy Holidays! tgbunny