The 40-hour training course, made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Orange County Community Foundation, aims to create a pipeline of qualified bus drivers
Orange County, Calif. – The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) in partnership with Saddleback College, and with grant support from the Orange County Community Foundation, is launching a free training course for people interested in a career driving a bus.
The free bus-driver training course, which will consist of 40 hours over eight weeks, will help eligible participants develop the skills needed for a potential career in public transit. Enrollment is happening now and sessions at Saddleback College begin March 19. Participants do not need to be enrolled at Saddleback College to attend.
The training classes are being made possible by a $100,000 grant Saddleback College successfully applied for from the Orange County Community Foundation through its Henry W. & Ellen R. Warne Family Endowment Fund.
The grant is intended to develop and deliver customized training for bus drivers. The course aims to create a pipeline of trained candidates interested in careers as bus drivers and, eventually, the potential for transit management jobs with OCTA and other transportation agencies.
“Qualified coach operators are in high demand and the people who drive our buses provide the highest level of service in our community, helping people safely and efficiently get to school, jobs, medical appointments and elsewhere throughout Orange County,” said OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson. “I hope that eligible candidates will explore the course and find out what a fulfilling career they can have in public transportation.”
Israel Dominguez, director of economic and workforce development at Saddleback College, said, “We are happy to be working with OCTA because of the generosity of this grant from the Orange County Community Foundation. It is a real privilege to have the opportunity to develop a customized bus-driver training course and build a talent pipeline for OCTA and other public transportation agencies. It’s also great to be creating career opportunities for students from underrepresented and socioeconomically challenged backgrounds.”
Participants who complete the 40 hours of training are guaranteed an interview to become an OCTA bus driver. To be eligible for the course, participants must be at least 21 years old, have one year of customer-service-related experience and have had a valid U.S. driver’s license for at least three years.
The training course includes learning about:
- Pre-trip inspections. All bus drivers must be able to perform a federally mandated, thorough bus check to ensure no mechanical problems and all systems are properly working.
- Safety procedures. Driving a bus is different than driving a car. The curriculum is designed to ease participants into commercial driving, from basic control to handling emergency situations.
- Behind-the-wheel training. Participants will get hands-on training at the wheel of a 40-foot OCTA bus.
- Commercial permit preparation. Learning content and study skills to prepare for the three-part DMV Commercial Learner’s Permit.
- Job application guidance.
Driver benefits at OCTA include:
- Starting pay of $20.48 per hour (as of May 1, 2022)
- Eligible for a raise every six months
- Medical, dental, vision benefits
- Paid leave and retirement benefits, and education reimbursement
OCTA also encourages advancement. Approximately 80 percent of bus-operations managers started as bus drivers.
For more information or to enroll, call 949-582-4548 or visit www.ocbus.com/saddleback.
