School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver School Bus Driver Guide
No CDL needed to apply. DPS hires you as a paid trainee at $24/hr and trains you for the commercial license.
🎁 Limited-time: + free Colorado CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver, known as Denver Public Schools, is the largest district in Colorado, enrolling about 90,000 students across roughly 190 schools. DPS runs 211 daily routes on a fleet of 313 buses, covering about 11,200 miles a day for around 30,000 eligible riders. The district employs 189 CDL drivers and started the 2025-26 school year short 30 to 35 of them, even with a 97 percent summer retention rate. That gap is a steady opening for new drivers.
You do not need a commercial driver's license to apply. DPS states that applicants without a CDL can be trained to get one, and it pays training time at the straight-time rate up to 40 hours a week. DPS bus drivers are district employees represented by ATU Division 1563, not contractors. The district has not published how many weeks its CDL class runs, so this page covers what is confirmed, what to ask Transportation, and what the job pays.
School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver at a glance
The essentials, pulled from official sources. The full pay tables, the exact application walkthrough, and the school calendar are in the guide.
How to become a School Bus Driver in Denver Public Schools
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Colorado sets the minimum age for a School Bus Driver at 18 and sets no state years-of-experience minimum. Each district sets its own, and many Colorado districts require 21, so confirm the current DPS requirement with Transportation. Your driving record must meet the district's safe-driver standards, and DUIs, license suspensions, and serious moving violations are disqualifying. A high school diploma or GED is preferred, not strictly required.
Apply online for "Bus Driver"
Start at careers.dpsk12.org and click through to the DPS Job Board at dpsjobboard.dpsk12.org. Search "Bus Driver"; trainee postings appear as "CDL Bus Driver." Postings stay open until filled. Complete the full application and certify your driving and employment history accurately, because the background check will surface anything left out.
Interview by phone, virtually, or in person
DPS offers virtual and phone interviews. You can also walk in to a Transportation compound between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to inquire. The two terminals are Hilltop at 2901 W. 7th Ave. and Northeast at 4937 Dallas St., both in Denver.
Clear the screenings after your offer
After a conditional offer you complete a fingerprint criminal history check run through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, a DOT 5-panel drug screen, and a DOT physical that earns your Medical Examiner's Certificate. DPS has not published who pays these pre-employment fees, so ask Human Resources before you schedule them.
Earn your CDL as a paid trainee
You need a Class B CDL with the P (passenger) and S (School Bus) endorsements, and DPS trains you for it. Training required by the state is provided by the district and paid at the straight-time rate up to 40 hours per work week under the union agreement. You pass the CDL knowledge exams, complete behind-the-wheel training that satisfies the federal entry-level driver training rule, and pass the three-part skills test in a School Bus.
Finish training and move into your route
After you hold the license, you ride your route with an experienced trainer until you know it, then drive solo. Full-time assignments run about 180 days a year at a minimum of 6.5 hours per day. The CDL class length and start dates are not published, so ask Transportation for the next class date.
What's in the full School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver guide
35+ pages, twelve chapters, written in plain English — everything above in full detail, plus the parts that change year to year.
Right now, includes a free Colorado CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver pay scale, benefits, and the split-shift schedule — the numbers that decide if this fits your life.
The application, walked through
Exactly what to submit and which documents to attach, so you are not knocked out on a technicality.
The interview
The three things every interviewer is really asking, and what to highlight. (Free in the sample.)
Screenings & paid CDL training
Every screening after your offer, who pays for what, and how you are trained toward your CDL.
The school calendar
This year's School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver calendar — work days, holidays, and breaks — so you know your real schedule.
Managing a bus full of kids
The passenger-management techniques veteran drivers swear by. (Also free in the sample.)
See inside before you buy
A few real pages from the manual — the interview and passenger-management chapters — so you can judge the quality yourself.
School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver bus driver questions
Do I need a CDL to drive a School Bus for Denver Public Schools?
No. DPS states that applicants without a CDL can be trained to get a Commercial Driver's License. You need to earn a Class B CDL with Passenger and School Bus endorsements, and the district provides and pays for the training. If you already hold the license, it is a plus but not a requirement.
How much do DPS School Bus Drivers make, and what benefits come with it?
The most recent district-sourced starting figure is $24 per hour for a CDL Bus Driver, and trainees start at the same rate. The job is a 10-month position of about 180 days with a minimum of 6.5 hours per day. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, Colorado PERA retirement, district-paid group life insurance, long-term disability, two paid personal days a year, and overtime at 1.5 times pay over 40 hours a week. Drivers are represented by ATU Division 1563.
Does DPS pay a hiring bonus?
DPS advertised a $2,000 CDL new-hire bonus on its recent recruitment flyer, paid in three disbursements: after training completion, at midyear, and at year-end. Its current status is unconfirmed, so ask DPS Transportation or Human Resources whether it is in effect before you apply.
What's the free CDL study guide?
For a limited time, every district guide comes bundled with a free study guide for your state's CDL Passenger and School Bus endorsements — the two written tests you'll take. It covers exactly what's on those tests so you can pass the first time, at no extra cost.
Is this an official guide from the School District?
No. It is an independent preparation guide, not affiliated with or endorsed by any School District. It organizes the public information into one clear manual so you do not have to dig for it.
How do I get the guide after I pay?
Instantly. Checkout takes about a minute, then you get a download link on the screen and by email. It is a PDF you can open on any phone, tablet, or computer and keep.
Get hired in School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.