School bus driver training will be offered on the Newland campus of Mayland Community College Oct. 29-31. Classes 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.  At this time, additional drivers are needed at several schools.

“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.

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 $13.04 per hour.

Each student’s driving record is screened through the N.C. 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.

All materials for the class will be provided on site, but each student should bring their driver’s license, Social Security card and any corrective lenses they need.

For directions or additional information, call (828) 733-6006 or contact Jeff Lyons at (828) 264-6391.