School Bus Driver Training

School Bus Driver

School bus driver training for New Jersey starts with getting your endorsements. All of New Jersey school bus drivers employed or not, must get both P (passenger) and S(school bus) endorsements

School Bus Driver Requirements

Passenger (P) endorsement requirements

You must be at least 21 years old and meet the following requirements:

20/40 vision in each eye (with our without corrective lenses)
70 degree peripheral vision in each eye
Be able to recognize red, green and amber colors
Be physically fit; submit a copy of a completed federal Medical Examiner’s Certificate [pdf] and a copy of a Medical Examiner’s Certificate every two years or as indicated by your physician
Pass a background check and fingerprint requirements; follow procedures for S endorsement Complete a declaration form to select DOE, Non-DOE or public transporation of school-age children.

School bus (S) endorsement requirements

A commercial license school bus S endorsement is required for drivers transporting school-age children. Endorsement applicants are subject to background checks to drive a commercial vehicle to and from:.

School or school-related activity
Preschool center or nursery school
Day care or seasonal residence camp
Child care center

To be eligible for a S endorsement, drivers operating under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education must pass a state & federal background check: Additional requirements for Department of Education drivers To renew a license, Department of Education drivers must: Pass a background check; you should begin the submission as early as 90 days prior to the expiration of your “S” endorsement to make sure you will have the results of your criminal history check and Approval Letter prior to your expiration date.

School Bus Driver Training

Non-Department of Education school bus drivers, including day care & summer camp drivers,are not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education. To be eligible for an endorsement, drivers must pass a state background check. Please check your CDL Manual to help review all requirements.