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How to Become a Motor Coach Driver

Being a motor coach driver is an interesting career filled with travel, meeting new people, and servicing your community. It can be fun and rewarding, and take your career to new heights…but how do you get started? We’re going to walk you through the requirements for and process of becoming a motor coach driver, so you can be prepared to apply at Trinity Transportation!

Requirements:

• Possess a valid Michigan commercial driver license (CDL) A or B with passenger (P) endorsement and enhancement
• Experience with motor coach driving or minimum transit experience (transit includes city buses, school buses, or trucks – truck drivers must have P endorsement)
• Able to calculate passenger fares and provide correct change
• Ability to complete trip sheets, pre/post bus inspection sheets, and vehicle inspection report clearly and in a legible manner
• Capable of operating and communicating clearly on a telephone and/or a two-way radio
• Able to speak English fluently
• Minimum age for drivers is 21 with no driving infractions on record
• Drivers with up to two minor moving violations or no major violations in the past 36 months will be considered at the minimum age of 22-23

How to Obtain Your CDL:

When you are ready to apply for your first commercial driver license, you will go to your local Secretary of State office with the following items:

• Your driver license
• Proof of your Social Security number
• Acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, passport, etc.) or Permanent Resident Card

Upon arriving at the Secretary of State office, you will fill out the CDL certification form, which includes meeting the CDL medical qualifications. You must also meet the driver eligibility requirements and pass the required knowledge and vision tests. All CDL knowledge tests are administered on the computer at Secretary of State. A minimum passing score of 80% is required to pass each test. You can take all the tests on the same day; however, you can only take each test once. If you need to retake a test, you must go back to the Secretary of State office the following business day. The CDL Group B knowledge test is 50 questions and the passenger endorsement knowledge test is 20 questions; both require a skills test after training.

Once you finish these knowledge tests, you will be given your CDL commercial learner’s permit (CLP), which allows you to practice driving under the supervision of a driver trainer and is required for taking the CDL skills tests. You will also need to obtain your chauffeur license before processing your CDL license. To receive the required training and to take your skills test, you can either do so through a third party state certified commercial vehicle training center or truck driving school.

Upon obtaining your CDL, you are ready to apply! You can do so at drivefortrinity.com. We look forward to hearing from you!