The 2022-23 school year is underway at Tonkawa Public Schools. Students are in their seats and teachers and staff are in place, except that is , for bus route drivers.The district has 16 employees who have a CDL and bus driving certification. Thirteen of those are classroom teachers. It is impossible for teachers to run bus routes in the morning and the afternoon. Therefore, we are scrambling to cover the four routes.In order to qualify for riding the bus, students must live over 1.5 miles from the district. Students with a school transfer can receive a ride but must find transportation to the district border.Earning a school bus drivers licence may not be as easy as one thinks. The requirements begin with successfully obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Then the completion of a 40 hour online Bumper to Bumper Course followed by an additional 64 hours of class time. At this point, a drivers 3-4 hour test of driving a bus and naming its components.If you or someone you know would like to become a school bus driver for Tonkawa Public Schools, please contact Transportation Director David Fruits at 580-628-3597 or visit the TPS Central Office.
