Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Eager to find bus drivers at a time when its bussing program has struggled to maintain routes amid driver shortages, the Chilliwack School District is offering an attractive hourly wage to brand new drivers.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack School District

Chilliwack School District hiring bus drivers with an attractive hourly wage

Mar 4, 2024 | 7:45 AM

CHILLIWACK — Eager to find bus drivers at a time when its bussing program has struggled to maintain routes amid driver shortages, the Chilliwack School District is offering an attractive hourly wage to brand new drivers.

According to a posting dated Wednesday, February 28 on Indeed.ca, Canada’s leading job posting website, SD33 is offering a starting wage of $28.36 an hour to bus drivers. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 6 through Make a Future. Applicants are instructed to apply through Make a Future and include a cover letter and resume.

By comparison, Diversified Transportation, a private bus company, has previously posted bus driver positions in Chilliwack with an hourly wage of approximately $24 to $25 an hour.

Prospective bus drivers looking to work for SD33 need to have a grade 10 completion or equivalent; six months of experience working with children; a valid B.C. class 2 driver’s license with air endorsement; a valid safety oriented first aid certificate; and successful completion of the school bus driver training program, among other qualifications. Bus drivers are expected to operate a two-way radio, use tact and courtesy in settling complaints, effectively communicate both verbally and in writing, and work with constant interruptions. They’re also expected to perform pre-trip and post-trip safety checks as per government regulations and guidelines, supervise and monitor the conduct of passengers, properly lift and position special needs students, and instruct passengers in the use of safety and emergency procedures.

Back in September 2023, the Chilliwack School District said it had hired eight more bus drivers over the summer and was still looking to hire at least five more.

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Wayne Williams, manager of transportation for SD33, told Fraser Valley Today in an email that the district added eight more bus drivers to its roster over the summer and would be starting them on a training program in September 2023.

“We just hired 8 new drivers at the end of June for the 2023-2024 school year and will be starting them on our driver training course [at the] end of September 2023,” said Williams.

In addition to a basic class 2 bus drivers license with air brake endorsement provided by ICBC, Chilliwack School District runs a 5-week, in-house driving training program for new candidates. This is being done to ensure SD33 is producing top-quality drivers for its students and their safety, Williams said.

“Our training staff will have to get through bus evacuation training in early September to elementary students first, to ensure our students are safe. This will help prepare them, if needed in future,” Williams said in an email.

Driving a school bus can be ideal for retirees who have flexibility in their schedules.

The SD33 transportation department is located at 44877 Yale Road in Chilliwack. The transportation staff can be reached Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 604-792-1255.