A school bus driver's day is rarely one block of time. There's a morning run, a gap of several hours, and an afternoon run, with maybe a field trip or a midday kindergarten run some days. How you pay for that day changes what drivers take home, what payroll costs you, and how many arguments you have about timesheets.
Most contractors choose between two ways: pay per hour for the time actually worked, or pay per shift, a set amount for each run. Here's how each works on a split day, what each costs, the overtime rule that applies to both, and how to count it every pay period.
How each way works
| Per hour | Per shift (per run) | |
|---|---|---|
| What the driver is paid for | The time between each clock-in and clock-out | A set amount for each run, however long it takes |
| A split day | Morning hours + afternoon hours | Two shifts: one morning, one afternoon |
| A run that takes longer (traffic, snow) | Paid for the extra time | Same pay |
| A run that finishes early | Paid less | Same pay |
| What you need to track | Exact clock-in and clock-out times | Which runs each driver did |
| Easy to explain to drivers | Yes, if the times are right | Yes: "$X a run" |
Same driver, two ways: an example
A driver clocks in at 6:30 and out at 9:00 for the morning run, then in at 2:00 and out at 4:30 for the afternoon. That's 5 hours on the clock, in 2 shifts.
| Pay basis | Rate | Day's pay | Week (5 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $24 an hour | 5 h × $24 = $120 | $600 |
| Per shift | $60 a run | 2 × $60 = $120 | $600 |
On a normal day the two are the same, by design. The difference shows up on the days that aren't normal. In a week of snow delays where each day's two runs take 30 minutes longer in all, the hourly driver earns $660 and the per-shift driver still earns $600. In a week of half days, the hourly driver earns less and the per-shift driver doesn't.
Try your own numbers in the free bus driver pay calculator. It also shows what changes if you pay for the time between runs. Our post on whether school bus drivers are paid between routes covers that question.
Which one fits
- Per hour fits when runs vary a lot in length, when drivers also do yard work or washing, or when your district contract pays you by the hour. It needs accurate clock times.
- Per shift fits when runs are steady and predictable. It's simple to explain and budget, and it rewards drivers who run efficiently. It can feel unfair on a long day, and it needs a clear rule for extra work like field trips.
- Mixing is common: per shift for regular routes, per hour for field trips, charters and training.
Tip: Whatever you choose, write it in your driver handbook: the rate, what counts as a shift, how field trips and training are paid, and the late rule.
The overtime rule applies either way
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, a non-exempt driver must earn at least the minimum wage for every hour worked, and overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek. That's true for per-shift pay too: the federal rule for day rates works out the driver's regular hourly rate from the week's pay and hours, and overtime is owed on top for the hours over 40. So even with per-shift pay, keep a record of the hours each driver works.
Time between runs, when the driver is fully off duty and free to leave, usually doesn't count as hours worked. Time they must spend waiting at the yard or on call usually does. Some states have stricter rules, such as daily overtime or split-shift pay.
Good to know: Wage rules depend on federal law, your state, any union contract and how your drivers' duties are set up. This post isn't legal advice. Check your pay plan with a payroll specialist or employment lawyer.
Counting it every pay period
- Record every clock-in and clock-out, whichever way you pay. You need the hours for overtime anyway.
- Fix missing clock-outs before the period closes, not after the paychecks.
- Add paid time off at the hours or shifts a paid day counts for.
- Work out pay at each driver's rate: the company's, or their own if it's different.
- Check overtime for anyone over 40 hours in a week.
- Export it for payroll.
Doing it in FleetCommander
Under Settings › Company profile, How drivers are paid is Per hour or Per shift. Per hour counts the time between each clock-in and clock-out. Per shift pays each clock-in to clock-out once, so a split day is two shifts. Set the company's Pay rate, the Pay period (Weekly, Every 2 weeks, Twice a month or Monthly) and the day A pay period starts on. A driver with a different rate gets their own Pay rate on their Edit page and is paid that instead.
Drivers clock in and out on My Day, and a pre-trip inspection clocks them in if they haven't already. The office sees who's in, late or not in yet on Drivers › Attendance, and fixes a time or adds a forgotten clock-out there.
The Driver hours & pay report shows, for each driver in the period, their Shifts, Hours, paid time off, Days late, shifts with No clock-out, how they're Paid, their Rate and their Pay. It exports for payroll. It doesn't work out overtime, so check anyone over 40 hours in a week. See the Driver attendance guide and driver attendance and time off.
Ava (Beta), the assistant in the app, answers Who was late this week? or Has Maria been late this month?. More on her page.
Related reading
Questions people ask
- Are school bus drivers paid per hour or per shift?
- Both are common. Per hour pays for the time between each clock-in and clock-out. Per shift pays a set amount for each run, so a split day with a morning and an afternoon run is two shifts. Many companies mix them, such as per shift for routes and per hour for field trips.
- Do per-shift bus drivers get overtime?
- Under the federal FLSA, non-exempt drivers paid a day or shift rate are still owed overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, worked out from their regular rate for the week. Keep their hours even when you pay per shift. Check your state's rules too.
- Is the time between a bus driver's runs paid?
- Usually not when the driver is fully off duty and free to leave. Time they must wait at the yard or stay on call usually counts as hours worked. Your state, union contract and policy can change this.
- Which is cheaper, hourly or per-shift pay?
- On a normal day they can be set to cost the same. Hourly costs more on long days, like snow delays, and less on short ones. Per shift costs the same whatever the run takes.