Bus/Cab Drivers

Serving All of Cook County

Bus and cab drivers can be the first people to greet students for each school day, setting the stage for their success. North Cook Intermediate Service Center is proud to offer training for school bus and cab drivers for all of Cook County to encourage and prepare them for this important and rewarding job.

If you or someone you know is interested in serving their community as a bus driver, please review the information and find a training class that meets your schedule. If you have questions, contact:

North Cook ISC Bus Driver Training Coordinator
Lydia Cruz
lcruz@ncisc.org

For All Classes

It takes 10-15 business days from the date of the class until we receive the final roster from the instructor indicating the driver has successfully completed the class and until the information is posted in the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) system. A certificate of completion will be emailed to the driver's employer. Please be sure to provide the employer's email address when you register. If you need a copy of a certificate, email to lcruz@ncisc.org.

Children are not allowed to attend any of the bus training classes under any circumstances.

All drivers must register in advance; there are no walk-ins. Payment for course fees is only accepted with a credit or debit card (no checks or cash).

Refunds

If you do not attend class on the scheduled day, and do not provide at least seven days notice, the course fee will be forfeited. To be eligible for a refund, you must email Lydia Cruz, North Cook ISC Bus Driver Training Coordinator at lcruz@ncisc.org at least seven days before the date of the course.

If a class is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, you will automatically receive a refund.

Find and Register for a Training Course

INITIAL SCHOOL BUS TRAINING COURSE

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires all new school bus/cab drivers who will transport students to and from school are required to complete an eight-hour Initial Training Course BEFORE applying for their school bus/cab driver permit. Anyone who does not take the Initial Training Course will not be able to apply for a permit. Initial Training Courses are approximately eight hours in length, depending on how long it takes the instructor to cover the entire curriculum and for participants to complete the test at the end of the training.

Important information:

Bring your Driver's License when you attend class.
Be on time; if you arrive late, you will not be admitted to class.
You may not leave class early; those who do will not receive certification.
You may print the Illinois Professional School Bus Driver Training Curriculum to review before the class and bring it with you.
Provide an email address at the time of registration so your certificate can be emailed to the bus company, school district, or independent driver at the successful completion of the training course.

Call 217-782-7674, IL Secretary of State, for information about processing and fee requirements to acquire a School Bus/Cab Driver Permit or visit the Illinois Secretary of State's website.

Check the List of Initial Training Courses and Register
If you do not see any slots available, that means the class is closed.

REFRESHER (ANNUAL) SCHOOL BUS TRAINING COURSE

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires all school bus/cab drivers who will transport students to and from school to complete a Refresher Training Course in the 12 month (364 days) period before renewing their school bus/cab permit. Your permit will not be renewed if you have not completed the course requirements prior to the renewal date.

Annual Refresher Training Courses are approximately two hours in length.

Check the list of Refresher Training Courses and Register
If you do not see any slots available, that means the class is closed.

FIRST DIVISION SCHOOL BUS DRIVER INITIAL TRAINING COURSE

New First Division School Bus Driver Initial Training Courses are for drivers who would transport 10 passengers or fewer (9 passengers plus driver) on regular routes for all school-sponsored activities, including curriculum-related trips. The use and qualifications of the approved vehicles have not changed; only the curriculum/training and school bus permit classifications have changed.

The initial and refresher bus driver courses (not First Division Courses) allow a driver to drive all the approved vehicles for student transportation if their driver’s license is appropriate for the vehicle being used. A driver who wants to upgrade their driver’s license to a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to drive a school bus only needs to upgrade their driver’s license.

First Division vehicles include taxi cabs, district-owned cars, passenger vans, and multi-passenger vehicles. Drivers who attend First Division training will restrict their school bus driver permit to First Division passenger vehicles only. For example, if a driver wants to upgrade their driver’s license in the future to a CDL, they will be required to take the appropriate initial class plus upgrade their driver’s license to be eligible to transport students in a school bus.

Drivers will not be allowed to substitute one refresher course or an initial course for a different curriculum to satisfy their requirements. These two curriculums are totally separate and cannot be blended. The instructors will be certified in the curriculum that they will be instructing (first division and/or school bus).

Check the List of First Division Initial Training Courses and Register
If you do not see any slots available, that means the class is closed.

Employment Opportunities

Click on the individual links below to see the many opportunities available at these Cook County school districts and/or transportation companies that are seeking bus drivers.

North Cook ISC shares this information as a service to potential school bus drivers and schools/organizations in the Cook County region that employ bus drivers, and not as an endorsement of any specific employer.