Occupation · SOC 33-9094
School Bus Monitors
Maintain order among students on a school bus. Duties include helping students safely board and exit and communicating behavioral problems. May perform pretrip and posttrip inspections and prepare for and assist in emergency evacuations.
Median wage
$34,980
$27,250–$43,240
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
72,140
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
0 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingCoordination
Knowledge areas
Public Safety and SecurityEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and Training
Technology & tools
Microsoft WindowsWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Take, receive, or check periodic inmate counts.Maintain order, discipline, and security within assigned areas in accordance with relevant rules, reMaintain knowledge of, comply with, and enforce all institutional policies, rules, procedures, and r
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Student headcounts — conduct under direct supervisor guidance during scheduled stops on an assigned school bus route.Bus safety rules — recite and apply basic institutional rules to students while following a printed protocol checklist.Passenger behavior — observe and recognize early signs of disruptive conduct in a supervised school bus environment.Emergency procedures — follow step-by-step evacuation instructions under direct staff direction during a drill or incident.Verbal communication — use clear, simple spoken language to direct student actions under guidance on a moving bus.Incident documentation — complete a basic written report form after a behavioral event with supervisor review.Student needs — identify students who appear distressed or unwell and immediately notify the bus driver or dispatch.Safety regulations — read and confirm understanding of posted bus conduct and safety policies during onboarding.Seating assignments — verify that students occupy correct seats by referencing a provided seating chart on the bus.Radio or communication device — operate a two-way radio at a basic level to relay information under direct instruction.
developing
Periodic student counts — independently conduct accurate headcounts at designated checkpoints throughout a bus route without prompting.Order and discipline — maintain routine calm and compliance among students by consistently applying bus conduct regulations with minimal oversight.Institutional policies — apply knowledge of district transportation rules and local regulations during daily bus operations without supervisor reminders.Emergency response — initiate a practiced emergency response, such as contacting dispatch and guiding an orderly exit, when an incident occurs.Active listening — recognize verbal cues from students indicating conflict or distress and respond with appropriate de-escalation language.Behavioral monitoring — track changes in student behavior across multiple trips and flag recurring patterns to the transportation supervisor.Incident reports — write clear, accurate incident reports after behavioral or safety events, requiring only minor editorial feedback.Special-needs accommodations — apply individualized care protocols for students with documented needs during routine bus transport.Coordination with driver — communicate relevant passenger information to the bus driver in real time to support safe vehicle operation.Internet browser tools — access district policy updates and route information through approved web-based platforms with routine proficiency.
proficient
Student count integrity — manage accurate, continuous passenger counts across complex routes, identifying discrepancies and resolving them without supervision.Full-scope discipline — independently enforce all institutional safety and conduct regulations across diverse student populations throughout an entire shift.Policy compliance — interpret and apply district, state, and federal transportation policies to non-routine situations, exercising sound judgment.Emergency management — lead a full emergency response on a bus — coordinating student evacuation, notifying authorities, and rendering first-level aid autonomously.Critical thinking in conflict — assess ambiguous or escalating student conflicts, determine appropriate intervention level, and act decisively to restore safety.Social perceptiveness — detect subtle behavioral, emotional, or health changes in students and proactively adjust monitoring strategies across varied route conditions.Deductive reasoning — analyze a sequence of events leading to a safety violation and determine the most probable cause to inform corrective action.Comprehensive documentation — produce detailed, legally defensible incident and count reports that meet district audit and compliance standards without review.Cross-functional coordination — liaise effectively with school administrators, parents, and dispatch personnel to resolve ongoing student safety concerns.Operating system proficiency — navigate district transportation software to log route data, student counts, and incident records accurately and efficiently.
advanced
Program standards — establish bus monitor conduct and performance standards for a fleet or district, ensuring alignment with public safety regulations.Staff development — design and deliver on-the-job training curricula for new and junior bus monitors, building consistent competency across a team.Policy influence — contribute expertise to the review and revision of district transportation safety policies and student conduct codes.Emergency preparedness leadership — develop and lead regular emergency drill programs for bus monitor staff, evaluating readiness and improving protocols.Systemic behavioral analysis — analyze fleet-wide behavioral incident data to identify trends, recommend interventions, and reduce recurring safety events.Organizational coordination — coordinate cross-departmental responses involving transportation, special education, and law enforcement for complex safety incidents.Mentorship and accountability — mentor developing monitors through structured feedback cycles, holding team members accountable to professional and ethical standards.Institutional knowledge management — maintain and update the master reference library of bus monitor procedures, regulatory updates, and best practices for the district.Stakeholder communication — represent the transportation safety program in meetings with school boards, administrators, and community stakeholders.Continuous improvement leadership — evaluate the overall effectiveness of the bus monitoring program using performance metrics and drive evidence-based improvements at the organizational level.
Also known as
7 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Bus MonitorSchool Bus AideSchool Bus AssistantSchool Bus AttendantSchool Bus EscortSchool Bus MatronSchool Bus Monitor