How New School Bus Drivers Learn the Ropes at FishingCreek
If you’ve ever thought about driving a school bus but felt nervous about the size of the vehicle, the responsibility, or the licensing process, you’re not alone. Almost every experienced driver at FishingCreek Transportation started out with the same questions:
Can I really learn this? Will I be trained enough? What if I’ve never driven anything bigger than a pickup truck?
The answer at FishingCreek is simple: you are not expected to show up knowing everything. The company’s training program is built to take everyday people—parents, retirees, career-changers—and help them grow into confident, professional drivers serving Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) routes and partner school districts across the region.
Here’s what that looks like from the inside.
Welcoming New Drivers from All Backgrounds
FishingCreek’s training philosophy starts with a basic belief: good drivers are made, not born. You don’t need a commercial driving background to get started.
New applicants come from all kinds of careers and life stages:
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Manufacturing, warehousing, or trades
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Office, customer service, or retail
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Former or current stay-at-home parents
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Retirees looking for a flexible, meaningful role
What matters most is your attitude—reliability, patience, and a genuine desire to keep students safe. If you bring those qualities, FishingCreek brings the training.
Step 1: Getting to Know You
Before you ever touch a bus, FishingCreek spends time getting to know you and helping you understand the role.
The early steps usually include:
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Application and interview – A conversation about your availability, your interests, and which routes or districts might be a good fit.
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Background checks and clearances – Standard for anyone working around children.
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Overview of the job – What a typical day looks like, what CSIU and partner district routes involve, and what kind of support you can expect.
This is also your chance to ask questions: about schedules, training timelines, pay, and how the process fits with your family or other work.
Step 2: Classroom & Safety Training
Once you’re on board, the next phase focuses on knowledge and safety before you ever get behind the wheel.
Classroom-style sessions cover topics like:
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Traffic laws and regulations specific to school buses
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How to read and follow route sheets
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Proper loading and unloading procedures at schools and along rural roads
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Railroad crossings, highway driving, and rural conditions
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Emergency procedures and evacuation drills
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Student management and communication
Because FishingCreek serves routes that support CSIU programs and multiple partner districts, you’ll also learn about:
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Mid-day runs for special programs and services
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Transporting students between home districts and regional programs
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Extra care needed for students with IEPs or specialized needs
The goal is to give you a mental map of the job before adding the physical skill of driving.
Step 3: Behind-the-Wheel Training
Once the basics are in place, it’s time for what most new drivers are both excited and nervous about: getting behind the wheel.
With a trainer in the passenger seat, you’ll learn how to:
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Adjust mirrors for full visibility
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Complete a thorough pre-trip inspection
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Start, stop, and turn smoothly in a large vehicle
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Navigate tight turns, hills, and narrow rural roads
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Practice safe highway merging and lane changes
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Use mirrors and crossover mirrors to monitor students and surroundings
You start in low-pressure environments—parking lots, quiet roads—before working your way up to more realistic route conditions. The trainer’s job is to coach, correct, and build your confidence step by step.
Step 4: Preparing for Your License and Tests
If you need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with school bus and passenger endorsements, FishingCreek guides you through that too.
The training program helps you:
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Understand the written exam material
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Practice the pre-trip inspection exactly as the examiner will expect
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Rehearse backing maneuvers and on-road test components
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Know what to bring and what to expect on test day
Instead of trying to interpret the requirements on your own, you’re learning from people who have done it many times before.
Step 5: Route Familiarization with a Mentor
Once you’re licensed and cleared, you don’t just get handed a map and sent on your way.
FishingCreek uses ride-alongs and route shadowing so you can:
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Sit with an experienced driver and watch them run the route
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Learn each stop, turn, and intersection
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See how they greet students and handle behavior
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Ask questions about timing, tricky spots, and school procedures
Then the roles reverse:
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You drive the route with your mentor alongside you
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They provide real-time feedback and suggestions
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You practice until you’re comfortable running the route solo
This is especially important for routes connected to Central Susquehanna IU programs, where students may be traveling from different home districts or on mid-day schedules. Getting those details right makes your day smoother and safer.
Safety at the Core of Everything
Throughout the entire process, one theme repeats: safety.
You’re trained to view safety not as a formality but as part of your identity as a professional driver. That shows up in habits like:
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Never skipping the pre-trip inspection, even on busy mornings
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Keeping your speed appropriate for road and weather conditions
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Maintaining a calm, firm, and respectful tone with students
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Reporting concerns about roads, stops, or equipment promptly
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Asking questions when something doesn’t feel right
By the time you’re running your own route, these practices are just part of how you work.
Ongoing Coaching and Refresher Training
Training doesn’t stop once you’re officially a driver. FishingCreek invests in ongoing development so you never feel like you’re out there alone.
That can include:
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Periodic safety meetings and refreshers
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Seasonal reminders (winter weather, back-to-school routines, year-end trips)
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One-on-one coaching if you’ve had a challenging situation on a route
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Opportunities to learn new routes or vehicle types (for example, smaller vans or special-needs buses)
For drivers who serve CSIU-related routes or specialized programs, there may be additional training on working with aides, using lifts or adaptive equipment, and coordinating with school staff.
What Your First Weeks Really Feel Like
Even with training, any new job can feel overwhelming at first. FishingCreek’s program is designed to make your first weeks structured and predictable:
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Week 1–2: Mix of classroom training and initial behind-the-wheel practice. Lots of questions, lots of support.
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Week 3–4: More time on the road, route shadowing, and time with a mentor driver. Beginning to feel like you “know the route.”
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First full month: Running your own route with dispatch and supervisors checking in, helping you fine-tune timing and routines.
By the time your first school year is well underway, you’re not “the new driver” anymore—you’re part of the team people rely on every day.
Support Behind the Scenes
A successful driver is never working in isolation. FishingCreek’s training program is reinforced by the support system behind it:
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Dispatchers who help with timing, route changes, and questions
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Mechanics who maintain the fleet and respond quickly to issues
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Schedulers who understand the complexities of CSIU and partner district calendars
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Supervisors who are accessible and approachable when you need guidance
As a new driver, you’re encouraged to lean on that team. Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s part of doing the job safely and well.
Could This Training Path Be Right for You?
If you’re thinking about becoming a school bus driver but feel nervous about the learning curve, that’s exactly what this training program is designed for. You might be a great fit if:
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You live in the Central Susquehanna region and want local work
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You’re patient, reliable, and comfortable being responsible for kids
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You’re willing to learn and follow safety procedures
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You want a job with structure, meaning, and strong support
You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. You just have to be ready to start.
How to Take the Next Step
If you’re curious about becoming a driver for routes serving Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit programs and partner school districts:
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Visit FishingCreek Transportation’s employment or “Join Our Team” page.
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Look for open school bus driver positions in your area.
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Submit a quick application or interest form.
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Talk with the team about training timelines, schedules, and which routes might fit you best.
From there, the training program takes over—guiding you from “Could I do this?” to “I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
With the right training, mentoring, and support, you won’t just drive a bus. You’ll build a career you can be proud of, one safe route at a time.