Davis School District School Bus Driver Guide
No CDL needed to apply. Davis trains you from zero and pays for the CDL endorsement.
🎁 Limited-time: + free Utah CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
Davis School District is the second-largest district in Utah, enrolling roughly 71,400 students across Davis County from its base in Farmington. A district that size runs one of the biggest School Bus operations in the state, and Davis County has had a persistent School Bus Driver shortage, with the district reporting about 30 bus driver openings at one point. That shortage is the opening for anyone who wants steady public-sector work on the school calendar.
You do not need a commercial driver's license to apply. Davis trains applicants who start with a regular license, and the district pays for the CDL training and the bus endorsement. Davis has not published how long training runs or whether trainee hours are paid, so you confirm both with Transportation before you plan around them. This page covers the real Davis process, the pay table, the union, and the questions to ask.
Davis 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 Davis School District
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for Davis School District.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Utah law sets 21 as the minimum age to drive any School Bus. Your driving record must meet the district's safe-driver standard: no more than two moving violations or two accidents, or a combination, in the past 24 months. DUIs and license suspensions are disqualifying. A high school diploma or GED is preferred, not required. No CDL is needed to apply.
Apply for "Bus Driver" on the district site
Davis posts classified openings on davis.k12.ut.us. Search the title "Bus Driver." Positions are posted open until filled, and each requisition carries its own end date, so apply when you see one. Complete the full application and certify your driving and work history accurately; the record check will surface anything you leave out.
Talk to Transportation and ask the right questions
Transportation is at Bldg F-2 Freeport West, Clearfield, UT 84016, 801-402-7500. Ask for the current starting rate, whether any bonus is in effect, whether the trainee posting is full-time or part-time, whether trainee time is paid, the next training class date, and who pays for the physical, fingerprints and drug screen. Davis has not published several of these answers.
Clear the screenings after your offer
After a conditional offer you complete a nationwide fingerprint background check (FBI and the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification) with ongoing RAP-back monitoring, a DOT 5-panel drug screen, and a DOT physical that produces your Medical Examiner's Certificate. Your driving record is pulled and checked, including any out-of-state history.
Earn your Class B CDL with P and S endorsements
School Bus Drivers need a Class B CDL with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements, plus the Utah School Bus Driver Certification on top. Davis trains from zero and pays for the CDL endorsement, and the district's program satisfies the federal entry-level driver training rule. You study, pass the knowledge tests, finish behind-the-wheel training in an air-brake-equipped bus, and pass the three-part skills test.
Ride with a trainer, then drive solo
New drivers ride routes with experienced trainers until they know their assigned route, then drive solo. Bus Drivers are placed on grade 11 of the Davis Support Salary Table, are covered by the DESP negotiated agreement, and participate in Utah Retirement Systems. Plan on 8 hours of in-service training a year plus first aid, defensive driving and drug and alcohol recertification.
What's in the full Davis 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 Utah CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your Davis School District guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the Davis 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 Davis 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.
Davis School District bus driver questions
Do I need a CDL to apply to drive for Davis School District?
No. Davis states that applicants without a CDL can be trained to get one, and the district pays for the CDL bus endorsement. You need a regular Utah license, a clean enough driving record, and to be at least 21. The length of the training program and whether trainees are paid while they train are not published, so confirm both at 801-402-7500.
How much do Davis School Bus Drivers make?
The latest published figure is $17.88 per hour at grade 11, step 1 on the 2024-25 Support Salary Table, which runs up to $39.12 at step 17. Bus Driver with Training Duties is grade 12, starting at $18.28. Field and activity trips pay $20.71 per hour, and substitute drivers are paid $25.04 per hour on the FY25-26 substitute schedule. Davis has not published a newer table, so confirm current placement with HR.
Are Davis School Bus Drivers in a union?
Yes. Bus Drivers are represented by Davis Education Support Professionals (DESP), which negotiates pay, benefits and working conditions with the district. Utah is a right-to-work state, so no one can be required to join or pay dues. No sign-on, referral or retention bonus was documented for 2026-27, so ask Transportation whether one is in effect.
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 Davis School District.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.