School Bus Monitors
Overview
School Bus Monitors are safety supervisors who keep students safe and well-behaved during bus rides to and from school. They help students with disabilities board the bus using wheelchair lifts, secure everyone with seatbelts, and handle any conflicts that might arise between students. These professionals work closely with bus drivers to ensure safe transportation, assist during emergency drills, and even help guide the bus when backing up. It's a job that combines safety skills, patience with kids, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Did you know?
This role requires maintaining student safety during transport and carries significant liability exposure, making attention to detail and adherence to safety protocols essential.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$33,511.46 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Key Responsibilities
- Operate a wheelchair lift to load or unload wheelchairs.
- Write and submit reports that include data such as the number of passengers or trips, hours worked, mileage driven, or fuel consumed.
- Monitor the conduct of students to maintain discipline and safety.
- Open and close school bus doors for students.
- Escort young children across roads or highways.
- Report delays, accidents, or other traffic and transportation situations to dispatchers or other bus drivers, using phones or mobile two-way radios.
- Respond to students' questions, requests, or complaints.
- Buckle seatbelts or fasten wheelchair tie-down straps to secure passengers for transportation.
- Guide the driver when the bus is moving in reverse gear.
- Clean school bus interiors by picking up waste, wiping down windows, or vacuuming.
- Talk to children's parents or guardians about problematic behaviors, emotional or developmental problems, or related issues.
- Assist children with disabilities or children with psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues with boarding and exiting the school bus.
- Announce routes or stops.
- Direct students evacuating the bus during safety drills.
- Monitor for trains at railroad crossings and signal the bus driver when it is safe to proceed.
- Prevent or defuse altercations between students.
- Direct students boarding and exiting the school bus.
- Evacuate students from the school bus in emergency situations.
Career Considerations
Safety and Liability Responsibilities
This role requires maintaining student safety during transport and carries significant liability exposure, making attention to detail and adherence to safety protocols essential.
Background Checks and Certification Requirements
Most American school districts require extensive background checks, fingerprinting, and specialized training certifications to work with students in transportation roles.
Part-Time Schedule and Seasonal Employment
The position typically offers part-time hours with split morning and afternoon shifts that follow the academic calendar, limiting year-round income potential.