On frigid winter mornings, when your breath fogs up the windshield and frosts over the glass, Avon Paul is already on the move. He opens the doors of his big, yellow school bus, and the warm air flushes over his students. They wait their turn to board the bus and greet Mr. Paul, who sets the tone for their day ahead.
The seasons change, children grow, and Mr. Paul is still behind the wheel. To him, watching students succeed—and supporting them on their way—is a special reward. “You see a kid the first time when they are going to kindergarten. Then, you have been with that kid until they graduate the fifth grade, going into middle school. And you have been there that whole time,” Paul said. “You’ve helped them grow, and you see the growth in them.”
Always driven to serve, the former marine started driving school buses for the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District a decade ago. “It takes a village,” he said, surrounded by buses and their drivers at the JCPS compound. This is where he sees that village in action. Teams of drivers come in and out, on their way to mentor, teach, and—of course—drive children across Jefferson County. Each driver is the first person our kids see on their way to school and the last one they see on their way home. “I decided to become a bus driver because some people go an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. And I know being a bus driver, I make a difference in my community.”
We believe in taking care of our employees. New bus drivers earn $29 per hour in base pay and up to $38.78 per hour with bonuses. The average salary for JCPS drivers is $55,000 annually, which is competitive and reflects our commitment to fairness and equity.
• Earn up to $10 an hour in extra pay.
• Challenging runs include Early Childhood runs, runs after 6 p.m., and more.
• Earn $6 an hour in extra pay with perfect attendance.
• Attendance is monitored every two weeks.
Earn $150 after 91 work days as a JCPS bus driver.
JCPS will cover the cost of your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) fees and testing.
• Drivers who already have a CDL license get a $2,000 bonus.
• Drivers who already have a CDL and school bus endorsement get a $4,000 bonus.
The average salary for JCPS drivers is $55,000 annually.
Full-time bus drivers receive health insurance, retirement plans, guaranteed hours, overtime pay, advancement opportunities, and weekends and major holidays off.
JCPS bus drivers can work flexible hours, with opportunities in the morning, afternoon, or both.
Applicants must have a clean driving record, a valid driver’s license, a commercial driver’s license (CDL), pass a drug test and have the desire to positively impact the community. JCPS provides CDL training.
To complete your application today, visit JCPSBUSDRIVER.COM.
Whether you are signing up to drive part time or full time, you have the opportunity to support yourself and your family while driving your community forward.