Bus Drivers
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REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A  SCHOOL BUS DRIVER

8 HOUR INITIAL COURSE                                    
  • New Bus Drivers are required to attend an 8-hour training course.
  • Pre-register for this course with the Regional Office of Education ($10.00 fee required)
  • You must be currently employed by a bus company or school district
2 HOUR REFRESHER COURSE
  • Bus Drivers are required to take a 2-Hour refresher course each year to keep their permit current
  • Drivers must pre-register with the Regional Office of Education ($10.00 fee required)
  • This training is usually given each month in various locations throught the state. There is no set schedule. Contact your local ROE for training near you.
 When available, our schedule of Bus Driver training courses
​offered at either of our ROE #40 offices will be posted ​HERE.
        ​Or check out this web site for courses scheduled in the surrounding areas. 
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​School Bus Safety Tips
Parents can play a critical role in keeping their children safe by coaching them to use good safety practices when waiting for a bus and getting on or off the bus. Buses are engineered to keep children as safe as possible, with strict structural strength standards and designs that protect children in the event of a crash or rollover. But that protection is only available inside the bus, and most accidents occur when children are entering or exiting.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, most children are injured because they hurry to get on or off the bus, act before they think or look, have little experience with traffic, assume motorists will see them and don't always stay within the bus driver's sight.

   Parents are encouraged to teach their children to get on and off the school bus safely by:
  • Staying away from the "danger zone," when loading. The danger zone is the area approximately 10 feet wide on all sides of the bus where children are most in danger of being hit
  • When unloading, look before stepping off the bus to be sure no cars are passing on the shoulder (side of the road). Move away from the bus
  • Before crossing the street, take five "giant steps" out from the front of the bus (Illinois has the school bus crossing arm) until you see the driver's face. The driver will signal you when it is safe to cross the roadway
  • Look left-right-left when coming to the edge of the bus to make sure traffic is stopped. Continue to watch for traffic when crossing​