Bus Driver FAQs

Do I qualify?

Bus Driver applicants must meet all the following minimum requirements through the time of hire and during the course of employment: 

Minimum Qualifications

Age - Must be at least 21 years old at the time of application

Education - A high school graduate, GED or California High School Proficiency Certificate

Experience - 1-3 years of full time verifiable satisfactory public contact or customer service experience

Driver License - Must possess a valid Class C driver license. Must have been a licensed driver for at least three (3) continuous years preceding the date that you apply; suspension or lapse of driving privilege for any reason, for a total of more than one month during the specified three continuous years and through the date of appointment may be cause for disqualification.

Driving Record - Driving records are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if the record meets the safety standards upheld by MTS. A satisfactory driving record during the three years preceding the date you submit your application and through the date of appointment will generally meet the following requirements:

  • No moving violations
  • No accidents where applicant contributed to cause
  • Has not had their driving privilege suspended, revoked, or placed on probation by DMV for a cause involving the safe operation of a motor vehicle; including a DUI conviction, particularly within the last 10 years
  • Other violations and/or accidents will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis

California Class B Commercial Driver License or Permit - A Class B commercial driver license or permit is not required to apply.  However, you must have the ability to obtain a California Class B commercial driver license with Passenger (P) and Air Brake Endorsements and no restrictions that prohibit operation of a San Diego Metropolitan Transit System public transit vehicle.

Physical Requirements 

  • Must have the physical ability to drive, walk, climb stairs, stoop, sit for long periods of time, bend, reach overhead and lift up to 50 pounds 
  • Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and perform tasks involving manual dexterity, such as use of a computer and 10-key
  • Work may at times require more than eight (8) hours per day, travel to other agencies, variable shifts, or require irregular hours to perform essential duties of the position
  • Must have good eyesight and the ability to maintain constant alertness under tedious circumstances
  • Duties will be performed primarily in a bus driver’s seat at the front of a bus, as well as in an office environment

Work Schedule - Buses run 22 hours per day.  Qualified applicants must have the availability to work all shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays, and split shifts

How Do I Apply?

Apply online by clicking the open Student Bus Driver position on our Careers page. Follow the instructions to create an online career profile. Applications are accepted online only. 

You need an email address to apply for this position. Be sure to use an email address you check regularly. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted through the email address you provided. Read the announcement carefully and be sure to fill out your application completely and accurately before submitting. Inaccurate or incomplete information may result in disqualification of your application. 

Where can I Access a Computer to Apply?

San Diego Public Library

Local Career Centers

Submit a Driving Record Printout

In order to be considered for the Bus Driver position, qualified applicants must submit a current Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driving record from the California DMV. If the applicant has been out of California for all or part of the past three years, a DMV printout from the applicable state/country must be submitted (Note: the printout must be dated within 30 days of the request).

If the DMV printout indicates accident(s) in the past three years, the applicant must provide an insurance report or police report showing that the applicant did not contribute to the cause of the accident. If the accident occurred while driving for an employer, a copy of the employer report must be submitted showing that the applicant did not contribute to the cause of the accident.

Failure to submit your DMV printout during the specified time period will result in disqualification.

I Applied Online, What Happens Next?

In-Person Interview

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited for an in-person interview through email.

Pre-Employment Recruitment Process

Your participation in the Bus Driver recruitment process does not guarantee an offer of employment. Depending on your status in the interview process, you will be contacted by an MTS Talent Acquisition Specialist to complete the following steps. DO NOT proceed with any of the following steps until requested to. The only exception to this is requesting your current DMV driving record from the California DMV since it is required at the time of application.  Failure to successfully complete any of these steps will result in disqualification.

Background Check

Candidates will be required to complete a Conviction History form. Candidates who do not report their complete criminal conviction history on the Conviction History form may be disqualified. A conviction is not necessarily a bar from employment. Each case is given individual consideration based on factors such as nature and gravity of the offense, job-relatedness of the offense, age at the time of offense, time elapsed since the conviction, evidence of rehabilitation, and any other mitigating circumstances. MTS will also call the professional references provided in the application in order to obtain information regarding your performance with past employers. Dates of employment listed on the application will also be verified. MTS code compliance records will also be checked for any fare violations or other related history with the agency.

Current DMV Driving Record

Candidates will be required to submit a new current DMV driving record from the California DMV (Note: the printout must be dated within 30 days of the request).

Medical Examination

Candidates will be required to pass a comprehensive physical examination at a Concentra location. The medical exam will test for the medical guidelines for a commercial license required by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The California DMV commercial license medical requirements can be found on the California DMV website.

Drug Screening

Candidates will be required to pass a drug screening.

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System has determined that the Bus Driver is a “safety-sensitive” position, under regulations issued by the Federal Transit Administration (49 CFR Part 655).  Federal law requires that all transit employees who perform safety-sensitive functions be subject to random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty and follow-up drug and alcohol testing.  All applicants for Safety-Sensitive positions shall undergo urine drug testing prior to employment. A positive, adulterated, negative dilute or substituted test will result in a decision not to hire, and the applicant’s name will be removed from the list of eligible applicants for safety-sensitive positions

In addition, each applicant who has worked for a Department of Transportation (DOT)-regulated employer(s) within the last two years will be required to sign a consent form, prior to appointment, authorizing MTS to obtain information from his/her prior employers concerning his/her drug and alcohol test history.