Motor Coach Operators?

So you mean just an passenger endorsement test at the DMV office is needed, no other requirement is needed for employment ?

 

I don't know about everywhere, but in Utah, you would have to take a road test as well. There are third party testers around for trucks, I'll bet there are for buses as well.

Also for a school bus, you need even yet another endorsement and road test. Which at least in SW Utah, must be a total joke. Looking at some of the things these bus drivers do behind the wheel, makes me glad I don't have any kids riding these buses!

 

I worked for a charter bus co. for a couple of months. My experience, and according to other drivers from other co.'s in the region, the best way to do this job is if you are retired or it is not your primary source of income.

If you are part-time, which meant "not forced dispatch" where I worked, you pick and choose your trips. If you are full-time, "forced dispatch," it totally sucks. They run you like hell and you never get adequate rest. You may sit on the bus for eight hours waiting for your passengers and that is your sleep break. Yep, only eight hours required for bus drivers.

The part-timers seemed to have a good time and really enjoyed being a charter bus driver. Those on "first board" were constantly bending over and getting screwed every which way.

I also drove scheduled routes for Jefferson Lines. That totally sucked as well. I thought staying in hotels/motels would be a good benefit. Not so. The motels/hotels set aside "special" rooms for the drivers. So you get the same room every time that is shared by every other driver on every shift. Many times I would walk into a room with food all over the place, dirty sheets and clothes, etc. And you're lucky you get eight hours off by the time you get a ride from the bus terminal to the motel.

 

You have to take a driving test in CA. Since there are many different size vehicles for passenger you want to take it in a bus as you'll be limited by the size of the vehicle you take the test in. Obviously a bus covers them all. If you try to get a school bus endorsement you have to take a road test with CHP.

I believe you have to retake the written tests for every endorsement you have here if you try to add passenger but I could be wrong. Not a big deal though.

 

Don't forget, with enough experience you could also end up driving bus for places like Disney or Universal. Disney has a large network of passenger buses going to every resort and every theme park, water park and shopping area within the Disney boundaries. Oh and also to/from their time share out on the coast and also to/from their cruise line in Port Canaveral.

..or you could end up driving a short bus taking old people from the retirement village to the local grocery store and drug store.

The only two downsides I can think of with driving charter bus would be that passengers could be a pita, and...you have to wear a shirt and tie!

 

I was a city bus driver for a bit, and a big negative was that the passengers would fight. That's why I'm driving a truck now just saying. Plus with a coach, the idea of loading suitcases, doesn't appeal to me. Then you have kids, to grumpy grandma's and everyone inbetween.