Roswell Independent Schools School Bus Driver Guide
Roswell's buses run on private contractors. Apply to Pollard or Hamill directly; Pollard offers paid CDL training at $17-18/hr.
🎁 Limited-time: + free New Mexico CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
Roswell Independent Schools serves Chaves County and is the ninth-largest district in New Mexico, with roughly 9,200 students across 22 schools. Unlike most districts, RISD does not run its own bus operation. It contracts its service to two private operators: Hamill Transportation, which runs buses numbered 1 through 34 on routes mostly outside the city limits, and Estes Transportation doing business as Pollard Bus Company, which runs buses 50 through 89 inside the city. About 74 buses are under contract, and no driver vacancy count has been published.
That changes who you apply to. You are hired, trained, and paid by the contractor, not the district. Pollard's current posting is for part-time School Bus Drivers at $17-18 an hour, lists a minimum age of 21, and advertises paid CDL training, so you do not need a commercial license to apply there. Hamill has not published its pay or training policy, so call before you assume. This page lays out the Roswell process, who pays for what, and the questions to ask each contractor.
Roswell Independent Schools 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 Roswell
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for Roswell Independent Schools.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Pollard's posting lists a minimum age of 21, a background check, pre-employment drug testing, and DOT medical standards. A high school diploma or GED is preferred. You need a driving record that meets safe-driver standards; serious moving violations, DUIs, and license suspensions are disqualifying. New Mexico sets no minimum age of its own for School Bus Drivers, so each contractor sets its own floor.
Contact the contractor, not the district
RISD has no district portal for drivers. Call Pollard Bus Company at (575) 625-9122, open Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Hamill Transportation at (575) 622-9269 or (575) 622-7939. You can also walk in to either yard. Pollard serves routes inside Roswell; Hamill generally serves routes outside the city limits.
Interview and ask the right questions
Ask each contractor for the current hourly rate, the trainee rate, weekly hours, whether any bonus is in effect, and the next training class start date. Pollard's part-time posting is the only published pay in the market, and Hamill has not published its rate. Be ready to describe a clean driving history accurately.
Clear the screenings after your offer
After a conditional offer you complete a fingerprint criminal history check, a pre-employment DOT 5-panel drug screen, and a DOT physical with a Medical Examiner's Certificate. Under New Mexico law a public school pays for an applicant's background check, but a contractor's employee may be required to pay. Ask the contractor who covers the fingerprint check, the drug test, and the physical.
Earn your CDL through contractor training
School Bus Drivers need a Class B CDL with the P (passenger) and S (School Bus) endorsements. Pollard advertises paid CDL training for applicants who do not hold a license, and its program satisfies the federal entry-level driver training rule. Skills tests in New Mexico run through third-party examiners. Hamill's training policy has not been published, so confirm it by phone.
Finish route training and start driving
New Mexico requires department-certified preservice training before you perform assigned duties, then 8 hours of in-service training each semester. After classroom and behind-the-wheel work you ride routes with an experienced trainer until you know yours, then drive solo. How many weeks training lasts has not been published for either contractor.
What's in the full Roswell Independent Schools 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 New Mexico CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your Roswell Independent Schools guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the Roswell Independent Schools 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 Roswell Independent Schools 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.
Roswell Independent Schools bus driver questions
Who hires School Bus Drivers in Roswell, the district or a contractor?
A contractor. Roswell Independent Schools contracts its bus service to Pollard Bus Company and Hamill Transportation, so drivers are contractor employees rather than district staff. You apply, train, and get paid through the contractor, and there is no district hiring portal for drivers.
Do I need a CDL to drive a School Bus in Roswell?
Not to apply at Pollard. Its posting advertises paid CDL training and accepts applicants who can test for and obtain the license, with a Class B plus P and S endorsements as the end goal. Hamill has not published its training policy, so call (575) 622-9269 and ask whether it trains applicants without a CDL.
How much do Roswell School Bus Drivers make, and are there benefits or a union?
Pollard advertises $17-18 per hour for part-time School Bus Drivers with paid training and flexible hours. Hamill's pay is not published. Pay and benefits are set by each contractor, and no union representing the contractors' drivers has been documented. No sign-on or attendance bonus is on record for either contractor, so ask when you call.
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 Roswell Independent Schools.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.