St. Johns County Schools Offers Test Drives to Recruit Bus Drivers Sept. 26

The St. Johns County School District is taking a hands-on approach to bus-driver recruitment, inviting prospective applicants to get behind the wheel before they commit to a job. On Saturday, September 26, from 8 a. m. to 11 a. m., the district's Transportation Department will host "Come Drive the Bus with Us," a recruitment event that will let attendees test-drive a full-size school bus on a practice track.

The event will take place at First Coast Technical College's Public Safety Campus, located at 3640 Gaines Road in St. Augustine. District team members will be on hand to meet with interested candidates and answer questions about the hiring process and available positions in the Transportation Department.

What's happening

The Sept. 26 event is designed as more than a typical open house. Attendees will have the opportunity to operate a full-size school bus on a test track before formally applying for a driver position. This "try before you apply" format is intended to lower the barrier for prospective drivers who may be curious about the job but hesitant to commit to the application and training process without firsthand experience.

The recruitment event will run for three hours, from 8 a. m. to 11 a. m., at the First Coast Technical College Public Safety Campus on Gaines Road. OneBlood's "Big Red Bus" Bloodmobile will also be on site during the event, offering blood donation services alongside the recruitment activities.

The district has posted information about available positions in the Transportation Department online, signaling that the event is part of a broader effort to fill open driver slots.

Why St. Johns County needs more bus drivers

School bus driver shortages have become a chronic challenge for districts across Florida and the nation, and St. Johns County is no exception. The county is one of the fastest-growing in the state, driven by families drawn to its highly rated schools and new master-planned communities such as Nocatee, SilverLeaf, and developments along the CR 210 corridor. That growth translates directly into more students who need transportation—and more routes to cover.

Florida school districts typically require bus drivers to hold a commercial driver's license (CDL) with a passenger and school-bus endorsement, pass a background check, and complete district-specific training. The training process can take weeks, and the part-time, split-shift nature of the work—morning and afternoon routes, with hours off in between—does not fit every schedule. Pay rates and benefits vary by district, but the pipeline of new drivers has struggled to keep pace with turnover and enrollment growth in high-growth counties.

For St. Johns County, the stakes are especially high. The district has added new schools regularly to accommodate a surge in residential development. Each new subdivision and apartment complex approved along corridors such as CR 210, SR 16, and Nocatee Parkway generates new students, many of whom live beyond walking distance of their assigned schools. Without enough drivers, the district must consolidate routes, adjust bell schedules, or ask families to provide their own transportation—options that create logistical headaches for parents and strain school operations.

How the test-drive model addresses recruitment barriers

The "Come Drive the Bus with Us" event reflects a shift in recruitment strategy. Traditional hiring fairs rely on brochures, conversations, and salary information to attract candidates. This event adds a tangible, experiential element: the chance to sit in the driver's seat, navigate a practice course, and feel the weight and handling of a full-size school bus before making any commitment.

For prospective drivers who may be intimidated by the idea of operating a large vehicle—or who have never driven anything larger than a pickup truck—the test-drive opportunity can demystify the job. The controlled environment of a test track, with district staff providing guidance, allows candidates to assess their own comfort level and ask practical questions about training, daily responsibilities, and route assignments.

This approach also serves the district's interests. By giving candidates a preview of the job, the district may attract applicants who are better informed and more likely to complete the training and stay in the role. It also broadens the pool of potential drivers by reaching people who might not have considered the job without a low-pressure opportunity to try it.

What the event means for families and school operations

For families in St. Johns County, the success of this recruitment event—and others like it—has direct implications for their daily routines. Reliable school bus service determines whether parents can drop their children at a neighborhood stop and make it to work on time, or whether they must drive across town twice a day. In a county where many households have two working parents and long commutes, the availability of transportation is a critical quality-of-life factor.

Driver shortages can ripple through the school day in ways that are not always visible to the public. When routes are understaffed, buses may run late, forcing schools to hold breakfast service or delay the start of first period. After-school activities, from sports to tutoring, become harder for students to access if transportation is unreliable. In the worst cases, some students may miss school entirely if their family lacks the flexibility to provide a ride.

The district's decision to host the event at First Coast Technical College's Public Safety Campus is a strategic choice. The campus, which trains first responders and public-safety professionals, is equipped with vehicle-training facilities and is familiar to many residents in the St. Augustine area. The location on Gaines Road is accessible from both I-95 and US 1, making it convenient for prospective drivers from across the county.

The presence of the OneBlood Bloodmobile at the event adds a community-service dimension and may draw additional foot traffic. Blood donation is a perennial need in Northeast Florida, and pairing the Bloodmobile with the recruitment event creates a dual incentive for residents to attend.

What happens next

The recruitment event is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, from 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. at the First Coast Technical College Public Safety Campus, 3640 Gaines Road, St. Augustine. Prospective drivers do not need to register in advance; the event is open to anyone interested in learning more about bus-driver positions with the district.

Attendees will be able to meet with Transportation Department staff, ask questions about the application and training process, and take a test drive on the practice track. Information about available positions is posted on the district's website, and applicants who decide to move forward can begin the formal application process online or at the event.

The district has not announced whether additional recruitment events of this type are planned, but the "Come Drive the Bus with Us" format could become a model for ongoing hiring efforts if the September event proves successful.

The broader context: growth and infrastructure in St. Johns County

The need for more bus drivers is one visible symptom of St. Johns County's rapid growth. As subdivisions spread west from the beaches and master-planned communities add thousands of homes, the infrastructure that supports daily life—schools, roads, utilities, and services like school transportation—must scale up to match. The county has opened multiple new schools in recent years and has more in the planning pipeline, but brick-and-mortar buildings are only part of the equation. Staffing classrooms, cafeterias, and bus routes requires a steady pipeline of qualified workers, and in a competitive labor market, creative recruitment strategies like test-drive events may prove essential.

For a district serving one of Florida's fastest-growing counties, filling those yellow buses is not just a logistical challenge—it is a prerequisite for delivering on the promise that drew so many families to Northeast Florida in the first place.