SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (April 8, 2024) – There may be seven weeks remaining in the current school year, but Scottsdale Unified School District’s Transportation department is trying to get ahead on its staffing for the next one.

To do that, it will take over the parking lot at Pima Elementary School, 8330 E. Osborn Rd., Scottsdale, on Saturday, April 13, as the district looks to hire new bus drivers, mechanics and bus aides for the 2024-2025 school year. The Saturday “Test Drive and Hiring” event runs from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. No appointment is necessary and those who stop by will be able to fill out an application, do a preliminary interview and take a turn behind the wheel of an SUSD school bus.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve never driven one before,” said Transportation supervisor Jack Taylor. “We’ve got one of the best training programs in the state, and you’ll soon come to understand that driving an 84-seat, 40-foot school bus really isn’t that much different than driving a VW Beetle.”

Bus candidates must have a valid Arizona’s driver’s license and a safe record behind the wheel. They must also pass a state Department of Transportation physical exam and acquire a fingerprint clearance card from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. After classroom training and 20 hours of supervised training behind the wheel, prospective drivers are ready to acquire their state Commercial Driver License, or CDL.

Starting pay is $20.16 - $20.97 per hour; more, with previous experience. Thirty hours of work a week is guaranteed, with daily, flexed hours (6–9 a.m. and 1–4 p.m.) and opportunities for overtime, transporting students to and from field trips and after-school athletic and performing arts events. SUSD offers medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage, as well as paid school holidays, paid leave and summers off.

Retired from the Scottsdale Police Department, Taylor, an SUSD alum whose children also attended SUSD schools, coached sports and worked in security at Desert Mountain High School before deciding to give bus driving a try 11 years ago. Since then, he has moved up through the driver, dispatcher and trainer ranks to his current position as one of the district’s two Transportation supervisors.

Being a bus driver is a great job for anyone looking for something different that makes a difference, while not necessarily working full-time. “Getting to know the students and greeting their parents and the new puppies at the bus stops was great,” Taylor shared. “I loved talking to the kids when they were getting on the bus. They appreciated that you took the time to learn their name.”

“And after school,” Taylor continued, “some kids liked to tell you that they aced a test or did well on their ACTs or SATs, or maybe they had a tough day at school, and you were a friendly face. It just was a way to connect with our community that I found really rewarding.” For more information, call 480-484-8554 or email Transportation@susd.org.

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About the Scottsdale Unified School District With more than 21,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 127 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, X: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.