Henrico County Public Schools School Bus Driver Guide
No CDL needed to apply. Henrico pays every candidate during CDL training and advertises $25.94 an hour for contracted drivers.
🎁 Limited-time: + free Virginia CDL Passenger & School Bus study guide
Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) wraps west, north, and east of Richmond and enrolls roughly 51,000 students in 79 schools, making it one of the largest divisions in Virginia. Its Department of Pupil Transportation runs a fleet of roughly 586 buses carrying more than 28,000 students a day across five transportation areas, and the county logged more than 10 million bus miles in 2023-24. HCPS is recruiting School Bus Drivers again this school year and runs a dedicated recruitment page with a hiring line.
You do not need a commercial driver's license to apply. HCPS states that all candidates are paid during a training program that provides the Virginia CDL and the VDOE certification course. Virginia requires a Class B CDL with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements, which HCPS trains you to earn. Entry typically begins as a substitute driver with a path to a contracted full-time role. HCPS has not published its training length, so this page covers the pay, the path, and what to confirm.
Henrico County Public 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 Henrico County
The path in order. The guide expands every step with the exact forms, links, and figures for Henrico County Public Schools.
Confirm you qualify before you apply
Virginia sets 18 as the minimum age for School Bus Drivers, and each district sets its own experience standard, so confirm HCPS's current requirement. You need a driving record that meets the district's safe-driver standards. Virginia's DMV statement must show no DUI or drug conviction, no felony conviction, and no alcohol safety program assignment in the past 5 years, and no 2 or more moving violations in the past 12 months.
Apply online for "Bus Driver"
HCPS posts openings through henricoschools.us/careers, which routes into the Henrico County careers portal at careers.henrico.gov. Search the title "Bus Driver"; positions stay open until filled. HCPS also runs bus driver job fairs at the Pupil Transportation offices on East Parham Road, and its recruitment page lists current fair details.
Interview by phone, virtually, or in person
HCPS offers virtual and phone interviews, and you can walk in to the Transportation compound between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to inquire. Call the hiring line at 804-261-9415 with questions. Be ready to show you will show up every day, drive safely, and stay calm around children.
Clear the post-offer screenings
After a conditional offer you complete a fingerprint criminal history check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the FBI, a DOT drug screen, and a DOT physical. Virginia also requires an annual school bus driver physical on the state form and a good-moral-character statement signed by two reputable people. HCPS has not published who pays for the screenings, so ask before you start.
Earn your CDL as a paid trainee
HCPS states that all candidates receive pay during a training program that provides the Virginia CDL, all credentials needed to transport Henrico students, and the VDOE certification course. Classroom instruction runs about two weeks before you get behind the wheel. Virginia requires non-CDL applicants to complete at least 24 hours of classroom and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training.
Complete training and start your route
After you pass the three-part CDL skills test in a School Bus, you ride routes with experienced trainers until you know yours, then drive solo. Entry typically begins as a substitute driver, capped at 29 hours a week without benefits, with a path to a contracted full-time role of at least 6 hours a day on a 180-day year. Virginia adds two in-service sessions of at least 2 hours each year.
What's in the full Henrico County Public 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 Virginia CDL Passenger & School Bus endorsement study guide — the exact material on the two written tests, so you pass the first time. Bundled with your Henrico County Public Schools guide at no extra cost, for a limited time.
The real pay tables
Every step of the Henrico County Public 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 Henrico County Public 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.
Henrico County Public Schools bus driver questions
Do I need a CDL to apply for a School Bus Driver job in Henrico?
No. HCPS states that all candidates are paid during a training program that provides the Virginia CDL and the credentials needed to transport Henrico students. Applicants without a CDL are trained to earn the Class B CDL with Passenger and School Bus endorsements.
How much do Henrico School Bus Drivers make?
The HCPS recruitment page advertises $25.94 per hour for contracted drivers, and the rate is worth confirming against the classified pay plan. Substitute drivers earn $25.49 per hour in the most recent posting, capped at 29 hours a week with no benefits. HCPS has not published the hourly rate for trainees.
Does HCPS offer a sign-on bonus, and what benefits come with the job?
HCPS advertises a sign-on bonus of up to $3,000 for already-licensed CDL drivers, so confirm whether a new trainee qualifies. Contracted drivers receive full Henrico County benefits, including health care, sick leave, and Virginia Retirement System enrollment. HCPS has not authorized collective bargaining for bus drivers.
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 Henrico County Public Schools.
The whole hiring process in one guide — pay, forms, contacts, and the calendar, all in order.