Transportation & Operations Departments

• 25 buses operate on daily routes.
• 6 buses provide curb-to-curb transportation for special education students.
• Our buses travel over 130,000 miles annually.
• We transport an average of 3,500 students daily.

Who Receives Bus Service?

Tulare City School District employs 33 certified school bus drivers with more than 250 combined years of experience. Our drivers focus on building positive, appropriate connections with students. We are proud to share that we consistently score high on CHP safety inspections.

Before applying for a school bus driver certificate (school bus license), applicants are fingerprinted and complete a thorough background investigation by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Applicants may begin training before the background check is complete; however, they may not take CHP-administered tests until the interview and background process are complete and the applicant is cleared.

California school bus drivers receive extensive training. Applicants must successfully complete:

• At least 20 hours of classroom instruction (including federal regulations, California vehicle codes, and education codes)

• At least 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training, including daily pre-trip inspection procedures

Drivers may not transport students until all training is complete and the applicant has passed written and behind-the-wheel tests administered by CHP.

Ongoing training requirements include:

• At least 10 hours of training each year related to pupil transportation safety

• In renewal years (every five years), at least 10 hours of classroom instruction, in addition to other annual training

Our Mechanics