Under direction, the purpose of the position is to daily operate an assigned school bus on an assigned transportation route for the school district. Employees in this classification are responsible for the safe transportation, loading and unloading of students to and from destinations, and ensure all bus activities support the safety and welfare of all persons. Work is performed in conjunction with bus monitoring personnel, and includes ensuring appropriate securing of students and the provision of required assistance to students with special medical needs. Performs related work as directed. Responsibilities and Qualifications 40 hour/week trainee position, with expected movement into a full time position at 191 days, minimum 6 hours per day. Training usually lasts 4-5 weeks. EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - Responds to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous and empathetic manner representing OCPS in a positive light. Provides daily school bus transportation for district students to and from destinations, to include field trips and special events. Performs pre- and post-bus inspection activities to ensure proper operating conditions, adherence to prescribed Department of Transportation standards, and compliance with proper safety standards. Maintains bus evacuation plan and coordinates bus evacuation activities as appropriate. Transports students according to established routing sheets; ensures maintenance of periodic routing updates. Monitors daily school bus activities to ensure proper student conduct at all times, and adherence to appropriate disciplinary controls. Maintains attendance records, seating charts, disciplinary documentation, and updated student information; communicates via radio dispatch as appropriate. Maintains safe driver designation and applicable physical and dexterity standards. Ensures the safe loading and unloading of students to and from destinations, to include operation of specialized equipment for attending to students with special needs, i.e., wheel chair lifts and tie-downs, toddler/infant seats and seat belts. Performs routine cleaning and bus maintenance activities; maintains neat and orderly appearance, to include assigned uniforms. Conducts re-fueling activities, to include maintaining assigned fuel use logs. Reports any perceived or potential school bus defects in a time efficient manner to appropriate supervisor of fleet maintenance personnel. Establishes and maintains effective communications and working relationships with bus monitors, district personnel, school officials, and parents. Assists new bus operators with learning their routes. Responsible for keeping up to date on current technology, as job appropriate, being used by OCPS. With the support of the district, attends training to ensure skill level in various technologies is at the level required to perform in current position. Responsible for timely and accurate information they maintain as part of their job responsibilities. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position. MARGINAL FUNCTIONS - While the following tasks are necessary for the work of the unit, they are not an essential part of the purpose of this position and may also be performed by other unit members. Performs related duties as directed. MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE - High school diploma or GED preferred; with demonstrated ability to fulfill the dexterity and physical requirements of the work. Requires ability to successfully comply with safe driver program standards, medical and district certification, agency provided County wheelchair certification, first aid and CPR training, and dexterity testing; requires annual recertification in order to maintain employment in the classification; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Requires ability to obtain and maintain a valid commercial driver's license class "B" with passenger and school bus endorsements. Must have at least 5 years of licensed driving experience. PERFORMANCE APTITUDES - Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data and/or information. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships. Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others on how to apply procedures and standards to specific situations. Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of assigned passenger vehicles, and safety restraint and wheelchair lift devices. Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive and advisory data and information. Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages. Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership. Ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution. Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.