School Bus Driver Jobs in Illinois
School Bus Driver jobs in Illinois represent a consistently active market, with steady demand from public school districts, private transportation contractors, and special education programs serving students from pre-K through high school across Chicago, Rockford, and Springfield. Major employers with a lasting Illinois presence include First Student, Durham School Services, and Chicago Public Schools. The most in-demand specialties are special needs transportation, CDL route drivers, and substitute drivers who can cover multiple districts. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Now Hiring Part Time School Bus Drivers
Sign-On Bonus: $2,000*
As a Part Time School Bus Driver, you will play a vital role in your community and the lives of students. You will start students' days with morning pickup before school and transport them safely back home in the afternoon. Additional hours for field trips and special event transportation may be available.
No experience is necessary to become a school bus driver! We are here to help you succeed with expert training and guidance to help you become a safe and professional First Student school bus driver.
School Bus Driver benefits:
- Pay Details: Dependent on experience and qualifications.
- Hourly Rate: $25.50 per hour.
- Training Hourly Rate: $17.50 per hour.
- Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) and Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training provided!
Commercial Learner's Permit Bonus- $750 CLP Bonus if obtained within 7 days; $250 CLP Bonus if obtained within 14 days
Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurance or coverage options.
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Part-time, flexible schedule: Split shifts (AM/PM routes), weekdays only; No nights, weekends, holidays, or summers required.
- Career Advancement Opportunities: Advance into operational, maintenance, management, and leadership roles in over 540 locations across the U.S. & Canada!
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Counseling and support services for personal and work-related issues.
- Community Impact: Be a trusted figure for students and families.
- Employee Discount Program: Discounts on various products and services.
- Guaranteed Minimum Hours: Get paid for XX hours per day at minimum.
- Child Ride-Along Program: Perfect for working parents.
- Safety or Attendance bonuses.**
- Commercial Learner's Permit Bonus.***
Your day as a School Bus Driver will include:
- Safely transport students to and from school and activities.
- Supervise boarding and unloading at stops; assist students with seatbelts and mobility aids.
- Maintain order on the bus to prevent distractions.
- Conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections (brakes, lights, tires, emergency exits).
- Report mechanical issues promptly and keep the bus clean and sanitary.
- Obey all traffic laws and company safety standards.
- Communicate with parents, school staff, and dispatch about student behavior or delays.
- Demonstrate leadership and customer service skills.
School Bus Driver Jobs are Perfect For:
- Retirees looking for supplemental income.
- Stay-at-home parents seeking daytime work.
- Veterans transitioning into civilian roles.
- Anyone seeking a second career or flexible job.
- People who enjoy working with children.
You might be a good fit as a School Bus Driver if you:
- Are at least 21 years old.
- Have a valid driver's license for at least 3 years.
- Are looking for a part-time schedule and summers off.
- Enjoy working with students.
Note: This position is subject to DOT drug testing as a safety-sensitive employee. DOT Regulation 49 CFR Part 40 does not authorize the use of Schedule I drugs, including marijuana, for any reason.
Great School Bus Drivers often bring skills such as:
- Valid Class B License.
- History driving with ride share companies or taxi services.
- Previous experience as a teacher, CDL driver, social worker, classroom assistant, hospitality worker, or customer service or retail associate.
Take the wheel and drive your career forward with First Student! Make an impact in your community while enjoying flexible schedules, great pay, and unmatched support.
- Sign-on bonus conditions apply. See location for details. Bonus offer is effective xx/xx/xx - yy/yy/yy.
**Safety and/or Attendance bonus conditions apply. See location for details. Bonus offer is effective xx/xx/xx - yy/yy/yy.
***Commercial Learner's Permit Bonus conditions apply. See location for details. Bonus offer is effective xx/xx/xx - yy/yy/yy.
First for a reason:
At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.
In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.
See All 6 School Bus Driver Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find School Bus Driver JobsSchool Bus Driver Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
School Bus Driver Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in school bus driver jobs across Illinois.
- Valid Illinois CDL Class B license with Passenger and School Bus endorsements required
- Clean driving record with no major violations in the past three to five years
- Ability to pass an Illinois State Police background check and fingerprinting
- Current Department of Transportation physical and medical examiner certificate
- Completion of Illinois school bus driver pre-service training and written exam
- Prior experience transporting students, including those with special needs, preferred
School Bus Driver Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a school bus driver in Illinois?
To become a school bus driver in Illinois, you must obtain a Class B CDL with Passenger and School Bus endorsements through the Illinois Secretary of State's office, which requires passing a written knowledge exam and a skills road test. You also complete a state-mandated pre-service training program, pass a medical exam, and clear a fingerprint-based background check through the Illinois State Police before driving students.
Which companies hire school bus drivers in Illinois?
Illinois school bus driver roles are posted by First Student, Midwest Bus Sales, and ABM Industries and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Illinois's large public districts and private transportation contractors maintain year-round driver pipelines, with the heaviest hiring concentrated in the Chicago metropolitan area and other large urban school systems.
Which Illinois cities have the most school bus driver jobs?
Aurora, Chicago, and Rockton consistently post the most school bus driver openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates due to the sheer size of Chicago Public Schools and the network of private contractors serving suburban Cook County, while cities like Rockford and Springfield reflect the large consolidated school districts and regional transportation companies anchored in downstate Illinois.
Are there remote school bus driver jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. About 0% of school bus driver openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, which reflects the hands-on, route-based nature of the work. The small share of remote roles typically involves dispatch coordination, routing logistics, or driver training and compliance functions that do not require being behind the wheel.
How can I get hired as a school bus driver in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying directly to a contractor like First Student or Durham School Services, both of which run paid CDL training programs for candidates who do not yet hold a commercial license. Candidates with experience driving charter buses, paratransit vehicles, or delivery routes have a natural advantage. Completing the Illinois pre-service training and obtaining your CDL before applying makes you competitive even without prior student transportation experience.
Where can I find and apply to school bus driver jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to school bus driver jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings from school districts and transportation contractors across the state. Find roles that fit your location and schedule and apply directly to each employer through the listing.
See All 6 School Bus Driver Jobs in Illinois
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