The Essential Skills You Need to Be a Bus Driver
Every career path requires a certain type of talent. Whether you work construction, wait tables, or conduct business with corporate executives, to be successful at any given job, you must take the time to develop your skills related to the role. In the employment world, such skills are often broken down into two categories:
Hard skills – Hard skills are measurable educational and certification requirements. Examples include foreign language proficiency or a given degree or certificate that indicates skill in a given area. Hard skills are often what spearheads resumes, as they give a clear sign to employers that you are qualified to do a given job. They frequently are learned directly in training programs or through schooling. For obvious reasons, hard skills are a great indication of whether you will be a worthwhile investment to any given company, so it pays to constantly maintain and improve them.
Soft skills – Soft skills are harder to measure than hard skills and are less tangible. They’re more difficult to show compared to skills earned through certification or schooling, because they tend to be on the more interpersonal side of things. Soft skills can include anything from conflict resolution skills to leadership ability. The soft skills you have – or don’t have – often can dictate what kind of an employee you will be and how you will fit inside any given workplace culture. Though they’re harder to quantify than hard skills, they remain an important part of making yourself a worthwhile employee, as they dictate your ability to do everything from manage disagreements to communicate accurately and stay on track to meet your deadlines. Soft skills can be taught and honed just like hard skills, though it’s harder to objectively show that an employee has mastered them.
Bus driving – or any other job in student transportation services – requires soft skills and hard skills, just like any other occupation. It isn’t unique in that respect. However, working in group transportation services is unique when it comes to the types of skills it requires. From conflict resolution to time management to actually driving a bus, you’ll need to perfect all sorts of hard and soft skills as you learn how to become a bus driver.
If you want to learn the skills you need to be a bus driver, Northstar Bus Lines is with you every step of the way. Our paid training program will support you through the entire class B CDL process, giving you the financial security and the resources you need to succeed and find fulfillment during your time as our employee.
Hard Skills: Getting Your Class B CDL
A crucial hard skill you’ll need to be a bus driver with any school bus contractor is a class B CDL with a school bus endorsement. Obtained from the government, this license indicates you have all the essential technical skills you’ll need to drive a school bus safely.
Ask anyone who works in student transportation services, and they’ll tell you the road to licensure can be confusing and difficult to traverse. First, you have to get your CLP (commercial learner’s permit), then learn all there is to know about operating a massive vehicle while getting practice in. Plus, there are numerous tests you need to pass along the way, from written to road.
When you sign on with Northstar Bus Lines, we can help you streamline this process. Our experienced trainers break the process down and simplify it into manageable pieces, making becoming a bus driver more accessible than ever. Because our company is so long-standing, you’ll be getting some of the best training around.
Soft Skills: Interacting with Students
Many people think that becoming a bus driver is only about the hard skills, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Bus drivers interact with students every day, which means you’ll need to practice the proper set of soft skills to ensure you and the children in your care have a positive experience. Some skills that our company instills in our trainees are:
A positive attitude. We’re big on service with a smile here at Northstar. When you join up with our jovial team, though, cultivating positivity doesn’t even feel like learning.
Conflict resolution. As a driver, you’ll need to learn to manage conflict between students in your care. Luckily, we’ve got years of this under our belts at Northstar. Many of our employees used to work in schools, so you’ll be learning from the best.
Time management. As a bus driver, you’ll of course need to get kids to their destinations on time. Our state-of-the-art GPS systems, which are equipped on each one of our busses, will help you master this skill in no time.
Interested in Becoming a Bus Driver? Contact Northstar Bus Line Today
Our Maple Grove terminal is currently hiring, and we’d love to meet you! Give us a call now at 763-425-2542.