Allentown School District School Bus Driver Guide
Allentown's bus service is contracted to STA. No CDL needed to apply; STA hires you and pays for CDL training.
🎁 Limited-time: + free Pennsylvania CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
Allentown School District, the fourth-largest district in Pennsylvania, enrolls roughly 16,712 students across 25 schools. It does not run its own buses. Since July 1, 2024, Student Transportation of America (STA) has held a five-year contract, through June 30, 2029, to move about 3,600 district students on roughly 119 morning and afternoon routes out of its terminal at 925 N Godfrey Street, Allentown. STA was short on drivers on the first day of the contract and recruits continuously.
That changes who you work for. You apply to STA at STAcareers.com, not to the district, and you are an STA employee represented by Teamsters Local 773, not a district employee. You do not need a commercial driver's license to apply: STA offers paid CDL training of about six weeks. The training pay rate for the Allentown terminal and who covers the state background clearances are not published, so confirm both with STA up front. This page covers the real Allentown process, what the job pays, and what Pennsylvania requires of every driver.
Allentown School District 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 Allentown
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for Allentown School District.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Pennsylvania law sets the minimum age for School Bus Drivers at 18 and sets no state driving-experience minimum, so STA and the district set their own standard. Your driving record must meet safe-driver standards, and serious moving violations, DUIs, and license suspensions are disqualifying. A high school diploma or GED is preferred, not strictly required. You must be able to obtain and keep a Pennsylvania Class B CDL with P and S endorsements, but you do not need it before you apply.
Apply to STA online
Go to STAcareers.com, select Pennsylvania and Allentown, and search for "School Bus Driver." Postings stay open until filled. Complete the full application and certify your driving and employment history accurately. Because STA is a private contractor, this is not the district's job board.
Interview with STA
STA offers virtual and phone interviews, and you can inquire at the Allentown terminal at 925 N Godfrey Street. STA holds hiring events around contract milestones, so watch STAcareers.com for them. Come ready to talk about reliability, a clean record, and working with students of 25-plus language backgrounds.
Clear the three clearances and physicals
After a conditional offer you complete Pennsylvania's three background clearances: Act 34 (State Police criminal history), Act 151 (child abuse history), and Act 114 (FBI fingerprints), each renewed every 60 months. You also complete a DOT 5-panel drug screen, a DOT physical with a Medical Examiner's Certificate, and the annual Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Physical Examination on Form DL-704. Who pays for the clearances is not published, so ask STA before you budget.
Earn your CDL through STA's paid training
School Bus Drivers in Pennsylvania need a Class B CDL with the P (passenger) and S (School Bus) endorsements. STA provides paid CDL training of about six weeks, with roughly two weeks of classroom before you get behind the wheel, then range and road training. Pennsylvania requires a 20-hour initial course, 14 classroom hours and 6 in-bus hours, and a 15-day wait after your permit before the skills exam. The training pay rate for Allentown is not published, so confirm it with STA.
Finish route training and start driving
You ride routes with experienced trainers until you know yours, then drive solo. Once driving, the schedule is a Monday to Friday split shift with 25 hours a week guaranteed, summers off, and recertification on a four-year cycle. STA postings list medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), an Employee Assistance Plan, and monthly safety and attendance bonuses. STA drivers do not participate in the public-school retirement system.
What's in the full Allentown School District 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 Pennsylvania CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your Allentown School District guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the Allentown School District 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 Allentown School District 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.
Allentown School District bus driver questions
Do I work for Allentown School District or for a contractor?
For a contractor. The district contracts its bus service to Student Transportation of America under a five-year agreement running through June 30, 2029. You apply to STA at STAcareers.com and are hired, trained, and paid by STA. Drivers are represented by Teamsters Local 773, which negotiates pay, benefits, and working conditions.
Do I need a CDL to apply, and is training paid?
No CDL is required to apply. STA offers paid CDL training of about six weeks, and the posting confirms the training is paid. The hourly rate during training for the Allentown terminal is not published, so ask STA before you plan around it. You still need to be able to earn a Class B CDL with P and S endorsements.
How much do Allentown School Bus Drivers make?
STA's Allentown postings advertise pay up to about $28 per hour, and the posting wording is a cap rather than a guaranteed starting rate. Once driving you are guaranteed 25 hours a week on a part-time, school-year schedule, so annual earnings reflect that. Confirm your actual starting rate with STA at 484-209-0898 and ask whether any sign-on bonus is in effect; none was advertised for Allentown.
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 Allentown School District.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.