BUS DRIVER COURSE (52.5 Hours)

Objective: The objective of the bus training program at Dootson is to provide professional quality instruction in the commercial driving field and to graduate men and women who can secure and maintain employment and advance in the truck driving industries.  At a minimum students must pass the Department of Motor Vehicles Commercial Class B road test and written exam.  Skills required to pass the former include:  ability to conduct a proper vehicular inspection, read instruments and gauges, up shifting and down shifting, throttle control, proper application of brakes and hand controls, gear recovery, and ability to safely maneuver the vehicle through traffic. Students must also pass a series of written tests.  At a minimum students must demonstrate sufficient knowledge to pass a general knowledge test, and a passenger endorsement test.

Students successfully passing the DVM written and skills tests will receive a California Class B Commercial license.  This license will qualify them for entry level jobs in the trucking/bus driving industry driving Class B Commercial vehicles.  Students will qualify to drive straight, non-articulated vehicles which include bobtails, shuttle buses, school buses, and transit buses. 

The course consists of the following components.

Classroom:  Classroom instruction includes preparation for the CDL (Class B Commercial Driver’s License) Permit Test and Passenger Endorsement.   Approximately 15 thirty minute sessions plus ½ hour orientation.  Classroom hours are distributed as follows:

Street:  Street instruction refers to instruction that takes place in the bus in roadway configurations and traffic conditions needed to satisfy the objectives of the lessons for which the instruction is required.  Students will also be given field training (on the yard) covering pre-trip, driving skills, backing and parallel parking.  Approximately 17 lessons (forty-five minute sessions).  Street training hours are distributed as follows:

DMV:  After completion of training, students will be scheduled for a Class B Road Test at the DMV.  The DMV sessions consist of 6 forty-five minute sessions (lessons).