Dispatcher School Transportation

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION is seeking a reliable Dispatcher to coordinate daily school transportation, assign drivers and buses, monitor routes, and respond to incidents to ensure students arrive safely and on time.

You will communicate with schools, families, and maintenance staff, balance workloads, schedule substitutes, and maintain records while complying with safety and transportation regulations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required or equivalent
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to operate two-way radio and dispatch systems
• Ability to follow state and federal transportation regulations
• Ability to read maps and understand routes and service areas

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and dispatch school bus drivers and vehicles for daily routes, field trips, and other transportation assignments.
• Monitor routes and ensure drivers are assigned properly and on time.
• Maintain communication with drivers and respond to delays, incidents, and emergencies.
• Schedule substitutes and replacement buses as needed; balance driver workloads.
• Maintain records and assist with driver paperwork and compliance.
• Provide clear information to schools, families, and staff and support safety procedures.

Skills

Dependable

Calm under pressure

Organized

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Dispatch software

MS Office

Job description

Dispatcher – School Transportation

About the Position

We are seeking a reliable, organized, and customer-focused Dispatcher to join our transportation team. This is a fast-paced position responsible for coordinating daily school transportation operations, assigning drivers and buses, monitoring routes, responding to unexpected situations, and ensuring students get to and from school safely and on time.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who can stay calm under pressure, solve problems quickly, and effectively coordinate drivers, vehicles, schools, families, and maintenance staff.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with school transportation, dispatch, transportation, logistics, fleet, or customer service experience who enjoys a hands‑on role where every day is different.

What You’ll Do

Daily Transportation Operations

• Coordinate and dispatch school bus drivers and vehicles for daily routes, special education transportation, field trips, excursions, and other transportation assignments.
• Ensure all scheduled routes have the appropriate bus and driver assigned.
• Check drivers in and monitor transportation operations during morning and afternoon runs.
• Maintain continuous communication with drivers using two-way radio and dispatch systems.
• Monitor routes and respond quickly to delays, route changes, equipment issues, road hazards, accidents, emergencies, and other transportation concerns.
• Notify schools, customers, parents, and other appropriate personnel regarding late buses, schedule changes, emergencies, or other service issues.
• Provide drivers with route sheets, maps, directions, and other information needed to successfully complete their assignments.

Driver & Vehicle Scheduling

• Assign substitute/spare drivers when regular drivers are absent.
• Assign drivers to special trips and other transportation needs.
• Assign replacement buses when vehicles are out of service.
• Balance driver assignments fairly while minimizing unnecessary overtime.
• Develop and maintain schedules for routes, workload, special trips, driver training, and other transportation activities.
• Review routes and provide guidance to substitute and newly assigned drivers.

Problem Solving & Communication

• Resolve daily transportation challenges involving driver absences, vehicle availability, scheduling conflicts, route changes, delays, and other operational issues.
• Stay calm and professional when handling time-sensitive or unexpected situations.
• Work closely with schools, drivers, parents, customers, operations staff, and management to resolve transportation concerns.
• Provide clear and timely communication when schedules or transportation plans change.
• Evaluate incidents, complaints, and accidents and assist with determining appropriate solutions or recommendations.

Maintenance & Safety Coordination

• Work closely with the maintenance team to schedule vehicle repairs with minimal disruption to transportation service.
• Communicate safety concerns and ensure they are addressed in a timely manner.
• Help monitor vehicle availability and coordinate buses that are out of service.
• Support safe and compliant transportation operations.

Records, Compliance & Administration

• Maintain accurate driver records and assist with required annual driver paperwork.
• Compile and maintain transportation data, including incident reports, inspections, student counts, passenger misconduct, mileage, and other operational information.
• Assist with reports and documentation required for internal operations and applicable state and federal requirements.
• Assist with interviewing candidates, timesheets, department administration, and other duties as needed.
• Train and assist staff in the use of dispatching systems, policies, and procedures.
• Participate in meetings, training sessions, orientations, and other department activities.
• Assist with driver orientations and required training or certification activities.
• Make recommendations regarding transportation procedures, staffing, scheduling, and operational improvements.
• Provide backup support by driving a school bus or other district vehicles when needed and assigned.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:

• Dependable and punctual
• Calm under pressure
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• An excellent communicator
• Comfortable making decisions in a fast‑paced environment
• Customer‑service oriented
• Able to multitask and prioritize competing demands
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team
• Committed to safety and excellent service

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Previous dispatch, transportation, logistics, school transportation, fleet, customer service, or related experience is preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to operate or learn two‑way radio and dispatching systems.
• Ability to learn and follow applicable state and federal transportation regulations.
• Ability to read maps and become familiar with streets, roads, schools, routes, and service areas.
• Ability to learn transportation equipment and understand the needs of students being transported.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced environment where priorities can change quickly.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining strong communication with the transportation team.

Computer Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Outlook.
• Experience with Adobe products preferred.
• Experience with transportation, dispatch, scheduling, database, or fleet‑management software is a plus.
• Ability to learn new transportation and dispatch technology quickly.

Required Driver's License

• Valid Illinois Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with the appropriate School Bus (S) and Air Brake qualifications, as required for the position.
• Ability to safely operate a school bus and other company/district vehicles.
• Must maintain all required driving credentials and qualifications.

Why Join Our Team?

You’ll play an important role in keeping students, drivers, schools, and families connected every day. This position offers the opportunity to take ownership of daily transportation operations, solve real‑time challenges, work with a great team, and make a direct impact on safe and reliable student transportation.

If you’re an organized problem‑solver who can keep a transportation operation moving when things don’t go according to plan, we’d like to hear from you.

Work Environment

The employee works in a transportation/dispatch environment. The noise level is generally moderate, with periods of increased activity during peak transportation times. The position requires frequent communication with drivers and transportation personnel and may involve responding to time‑sensitive operational issues.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described are representative of those necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. The employee may occasionally be required to:

• Sit, stand, and walk for extended periods.
• Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Reach with hands and arms.
• Use hands to handle or operate equipment.
• Communicate verbally and hear radio and telephone communications.
• Perform other physical activities necessary to support transportation operations.

Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees and to maintaining a professional, respectful, and inclusive workplace.

Job Type: Full-Time