BUS DRIVER
New Jersey classifies Bus Driver as non-competitive, which skips the exam-and-list step and turns on whether you meet the minimum requirements.
Qualifying takes 1 year of relevant experience and a commercial driver's license. The FY 2027 range lands between $38,641 and $55,448, and state payroll currently lists about 40 people in the title, most of them at Children and Families.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 3 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 3 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Bus Driver appears on the State payroll at 3 departments, most of them at Department of Children and Families.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Children and Families | 36 |
| Department of Health | 2 |
| Department of Education | 2 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 40 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $53,573. The agencies employing the most are:
- Children and Families (36)
- Health and Senior Services (2)
- Education (2)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under direction of a supervisor in a State Department or Agency, operates a light duty passenger bus; carries out pickup and/or delivery of passenger assignments; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Operates and maintains a bus used for the transporting of patients residents, students, and other passengers to their destination.
- Makes special or routine trips to deliver employees, patients, students, and other passengers.
- Makes minor repairs and adjustments to bus assigned to operate.
- Assists with the loading and unloading of patients, inmates, and residents as required.
- Sees that the bus is properly maintained and serviced in good working order.
- Prepares factual reports and keeps simple records.
- May be required to engage in lifting clients when working in a setting which provides direct services to clients who are nonambulant, or who are semiambulant and/or have severe physical handicaps.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information system used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
One (1) year of experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a valid New Jersey Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and passenger edorsement for the class and type of vehicle to be operated, issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commssion.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the proper methods of operating a bus.
- Knowledge of highway safety principles and of state and municipal traffic laws and regulations.
- Knowledge of the principal parts of a bus, of the common indications of their malfunction and of the proper methods of preventive maintenance.
- Knowledge of minor repair procedures which can be done without recourse to the repair shop.
- Ability to assist with the loading and unloading of patients, inmates, and residents as required.
- Ability to drive a modern bus under varying road, traffic, and weather conditions.
- Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written directions.
- Ability to make minor adjustments and repairs to bus, to change and repair tires tubes, to check and replenish gasoline, oil, and radiator and battery water, and to keep the vehicle in clean and safe running condition and available for immediate use.
- Ability to make periodic safety checks of the bus being operated, to check the function of the brakes, condition of tires, exhaust system, drive train, suspension, lights, wipers, horn, exit doors, and allied equipment.
- Ability to keep simple records and perform basic clerical duties.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
Ability to physically lift, move, and position clients as needed.