A school bus driver taking a day off isn't like an office worker taking one. Their route still runs at 6:45 the next morning, with the same students at the same stops, and someone has to drive it. That's why the request matters: the earlier you know, the easier the route is to cover, and the fewer requests get lost on a sticky note in dispatch.
Here's what a school bus driver time off request form should ask, how much notice to expect, who decides, and how to make sure the route is covered. For the rules behind it, see our post on a school bus driver time off policy.
What the form should ask
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| Driver's name and route | So dispatch knows which runs need covering |
| Kind of time off | Sick, vacation, a personal day or unpaid: it decides the pay |
| First and last day | A single day, or a run of days |
| All day, or the times | A doctor's visit in the morning may only need the morning run covered |
| A note | Anything the office should know, such as a court date or a family event |
| The decision | Approved or declined, by whom, when, and a note back to the driver |
Tip: Ask for part days by time, not just "morning" or "afternoon". A driver out from 7 to 10 misses the morning run but may make a midday kindergarten run.
How much notice to ask for
- Planned time off (vacation, a personal day): two weeks is common, longer around holidays and the start of the school year.
- Sick days: as early as possible, at least an hour before the report time. A call or text at 5:30 is far better than a no-show at 6:45.
- Blackout days: the first week of school, testing days and the days before breaks, when many drivers want the same days off.
- First come, first served: when two drivers ask for the same day, say in the policy how you decide.
Who approves, and how
- The driver asks, with the dates, times, kind and a note.
- The office checks how many drivers are already off that day, and whether a substitute is free.
- It's approved or declined quickly, with a reason when it's a no.
- The driver is told, and the route is given to a substitute for those days.
- Payroll sees it, so paid time off is paid and unpaid days aren't.
Good to know: Paid time off, sick leave and how much notice you may require are covered by state and local laws, and some places require paid sick days. Check your policy and form with an HR or employment adviser.
Doing it in FleetCommander
Asking. Drivers press Time off on My Day or in their menu, choose the kind, the From and To days, and untick All day to give the times for part of a day, add an optional note and press Send request. They can Cancel while it's waiting. The kinds are set under Settings › Company › Time off, starting with Sick, Vacation and Day off (unpaid); tick Paid on the ones you pay.
Deciding. Drivers › Time off lists the requests Waiting for a decision, with the number waiting beside Time off at the top of the Drivers pages. Press Approve or Decline, with a note for the driver if you like; the driver is told either way. When a driver calls in sick, Add time off for a driver records it straight away. If you count days a year for each kind, a request that goes over what the driver has left says so.
Covering the route. When a driver with a route is off in the next 14 days and nobody else is on that run, the route is flagged Needs a substitute, on the route's page and on the Dashboard, with the best free drivers to cover it. Paid time off shows in the Driver hours & pay report. See the Driver attendance guide.
Ava (Beta), the assistant in the app, answers Who's off today?. More on her page.
Related reading
Questions people ask
- What should a time off request form for bus drivers include?
- The driver's name and route, the kind of time off, the first and last day, whether it's all day or the times, a note, and the decision with who made it and when.
- How much notice should a school bus driver give for time off?
- Two weeks is common for planned time off, and at least an hour before the report time for a sick day. Your policy and local law decide.
- Can a school bus company deny time off?
- Usually yes for planned time off, such as on blackout days when too many drivers are already off, but sick leave may be protected by state or local law. Check with an employment adviser.
- Who covers a route when a driver is off?
- A substitute driver, chosen from drivers who are free at that time and qualified for the bus. Knowing early makes it far easier to find one.