Howard County Public School System School Bus Driver Guide
HCPSS employs no drivers. Contractors hire and train you, no CDL is needed to apply, and Zum posts $28.50/hr.
🎁 Limited-time: + free Maryland CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
Howard County Public School System enrolls roughly 57,565 students across 78 schools around Columbia, and about 40,000 of them ride a bus. The district runs 560 routes in 2026-27 and employs no drivers itself. Independent school bus contractors provide all student transportation. Zum Services is the largest, running 196 routes under a five-year, $120 million contract through June 30, 2031, and about 20 small local contractors cover the rest. Contractors continue to struggle with driver callouts, which has led to some route cancellations.
That is your opening. You apply directly to a contractor, and the contractor hires, trains, and pays you. You do not need a commercial driver's license to apply. Zum trains applicants from zero at no cost, and the contractors' programs take you from a regular license to a School Bus Driver with a Class B CDL. This page covers the Howard County process, the pay contractors have posted, and the questions to ask before you accept.
Howard County Public School System 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 Howard County
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for Howard County Public School System.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Maryland sets the minimum age for School Bus Drivers at 21, with no state years-of-experience rule, and trainees may carry no more than two current points on their driving record. A high school diploma or GED is preferred, not required. DUIs, license suspensions, and serious moving violations are disqualifying.
Apply directly to a contractor
HCPSS posts no driver jobs. Apply to Zum Services, whose Howard County depot is at 8453 Dorsey Run Rd in Jessup (443-203-8090), or to one of the roughly 20 smaller contractors. HCPSS publishes a contractor list with each company's contact details at hcpss.org/f/schools/transportation/school-bus-contractors.pdf.
Interview with the contractor
The contractor interviews you, sets your pay, and decides your schedule. Ask the five questions that matter: the current hourly rate, whether any bonus is in effect, whether the route is full-time, the next training class start, and who pays for screenings. Zum has also held hiring events at its Jessup depot.
Clear the screenings after your offer
After a conditional offer you complete a fingerprint criminal history check through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, a DOT 5-panel drug screen, a DOT physical with a Medical Examiner's Certificate, and the annual Maryland school vehicle driver physical. Who pays for these was not published, so ask the contractor before you apply.
Earn your CDL through paid contractor training
School Bus Drivers need a Class B CDL with the P (passenger) and S (School Bus) endorsements. Zum provides all required training at no cost, and once you hold the CDL permit and begin behind-the-wheel training it has advertised up to 25 hours of pay at the non-revenue rate. No Howard County contractor publishes its program length, so confirm the schedule and terms. A private CDL school runs roughly $2,000 to $4,000.
Complete training and start your route
Maryland requires at least 8 classroom hours and 9 behind-the-wheel hours before you transport students. After you pass the three-part skills test in a School Bus, you ride with a trainer until you know your route, then drive solo. Full-time operators move into 180-day assignments with a minimum of 6 hours per day.
What's in the full Howard County Public School System 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 Maryland CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your Howard County Public School System guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the Howard County Public School System 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 Howard County Public School System 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.
Howard County Public School System bus driver questions
Who hires School Bus Drivers in Howard County?
Private contractors do. HCPSS employs no drivers, and its own transportation page says independent school bus contractors provide student transportation. Zum Services is the largest, with 196 of 560 routes, and about 20 small local contractors run the rest. Pay, benefits, and bonuses are set per contractor, so apply directly to the contractor you want to work for.
Do I need a CDL to drive a School Bus in Howard County?
No, you do not need one to apply. Zum trains non-certified applicants from zero at no cost and has advertised up to 25 hours of pay at the non-revenue rate once you hold the CDL permit and start behind-the-wheel training. Smaller contractors do not publish their terms, and no contractor publishes a program length, so ask before you commit.
How much do Howard County School Bus Drivers make?
Zum Services posts $28.50 per hour, and it has advertised medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), and guaranteed daily hours with nights, weekends, holidays, and summers off. Zum has also advertised a $3,000 sign-on bonus for certified drivers and up to $1,200 in training milestone bonuses, so confirm those are still offered. About 300 Zum drivers are represented by Teamsters Local 570. Smaller contractors do not publish pay.
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 Howard County Public School System.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.