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Free School Bus Driver Training Courses Offered Sept. 8-10 for Watauga County Schools

School bus driver training will be offered September 8-10 at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center. The classes are free and run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.

Before attending the class, anyone who is not a current Watauga County Schools employee must have a recommendation from the principal or assistant principal at the school where they want to be hired.url

“We encourage everyone who is interested in being a school bus driver to obtain the required recommendation and attend these classes,” said WCS Transportation Director Jeff Lyons. “We currently have route driver positions available and want to fill these positions as soon as possible.”

A school bus driver training class must be completed in order to receive the license (CDL) required to drive a school bus in North Carolina. The starting pay for school bus drivers in Watauga County is currently $13.32 per hour.

Each student’s driving record is screened through the NC Division of Motor Vehicles the first day of class. In addition to the driving record check, a criminal background check is conducted of all prospective school system employees before they start work.

Each student should bring their driver’s license, social security card, a pen or pencil and a highlighter to the first meeting. For directions or additional information, please contact Jeff Lyons or Debbie Ray at 828 264-6391.