van driver

monitor

bus driver

transportation coordinator

bus monitor

Van Pool Transportation

To work here you’ll need lots of patience in dealing with the general public on the roads, staff and especially the children.  You will have drivers who are infuriatingly in the wrong and you must do the best you can to stay calm and professional on behalf of the company and for the children.

You could opt to go home after your route or keep working in the office to round up your hours when needed.  It was optional, not required, but if you want it you must fight or speak up for it.  Unlikely it will be offered to you.

The best part of working here was you got paid until you made it home.  This includes going in standby in an area for an early release.  It gave an opportunity to explore or do coverages/work nearby.  Depending on the supervisor, some would give a hard time if you were outside route times by minutes.  Always needed to put in a good reason to cover yourself.

My advice to newcomers is to watch your work hours, on occasion they’ve shorted workers.

The office I worked in had very experienced personal and I loved getting the opportunity to work here.  The banter between the office and drivers was hilarious on occasion.  Made a plain day something colorful.  My students were wonderful and I will miss them.  On occasion my students would have a rough day and lash out on occasion.  The important thing is learning to keep control of yourself and the situation as best you can.

What was hardest for me was being a long timer.  When you’re a newcomer it’s great because you got paid almost as good as the other drivers.  Once you get experience, the pay doesn’t continue to grow very much.  Van Pool was slow to get an increase to its workers when inflation hit.  When they did do an increase, the amount was insulting to say the least.  

While management prides itself in paying its workers evenly.  It didn’t add up considering work quality and then how much things went up with inflation.

On a good note, Van Pool made sure it’s workers were taken good care of during the pandemic.  I will never forget what they contributed to their community and it’s workforce.

They were also amazing when it came to their training, getting physicals free of cost and a student pupil transport license.  They would cover its cost and a great deal of behind the scenes work.

Unfortunately for me, there wasn’t enough opportunity to grow.  This is important for me and the reason I moved on.  I’m grateful for the experience I had here.  During the time, this was just what I needed.  If you need a job, by all means you could start here.  They are always looking for drivers.  Your hours will vary and so may your route..  They always preach being adaptable and that’s true.  If you can do that you’re golden just about anywhere you decide to go.  

Keep your options open and may you find something you enjoy.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Middle management can't handle work load, placing unnecessary stress and even anger on drivers and monitors.
There are juvenile "favorites," and they receive different treatment and breaks.
Most drivers and monitors have no experience with autism, or even human service field.
Monitors are treated poorly, as they are bottom on the totem pole.
If you have a problem that need to be addressed, your calls.or emails will not be returned, including checking pay.
Monitors are very underpaid, as we are the ones that deal with all of the students, including aggressive and violent children. There is no other help. 
For all of these reasons, this is an underpaid, clique-managed system that provides nepotism and favorites, leaving others to strict guidelines and little praise.

Don't work here.


What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Middle management
No respect 
No praise
No internal growth
No extra compensation for more job tasks
PAY
ZERO life/work balance

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Unwelcoming 
Nepotism
Treated poorly 
No praise
No incentives for seniority or a job well done. No pay scale.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stressful, underhanded (little assistance), changes without notifications.
You're a number

Company claims in handbook that they attempt not to upset clients with change as this occupation deals with transport of special needs students, whom not by their own fault cannot usually  be reasoned with, this seems to not matter to them at all as they abruptly make changes which generally upsets the parents of the students, not to mention the students themselves, which also causes stress on the transporters of said students.
Also, route changes affect the personal lives of employees who have gotten use to their financial situations only to have them abruptly changed. My advice to the company particularly where a recruiter is hired, hire someone from within so perspective employees will know what they are dealing with, in other words, tell the truth. It's not a bad job, however if the company wants to keep employees, good employees, they need to treat the ones they now have better. Word gets around real quick these days. Enough said.

After 3 years as a driver, we were offered a 401K match, well this disappeared within 6 months.  There was no notice, it was just stopped.  When I looked at my paystub, online, it was gone.  I had to constantly check to make sure I got paid for the work I did.  When I went to pick up PPE (paper towels, disinfectant solution), I was not paid!!!  When asked why payroll responded with "we pay for the PPE, but not the time it takes to come get it".  The location to pick up PPE was 40 minutes each way from my home.  Why should I not get paid?  If it relates to work, it's work!
Also, virtual meetings sometimes are not paid, you have to constantly check your paystub.  I don't like this company for that reason.  If I work, you pay, its that simple.  This  is what caused my separation from them.  
I believe part of Van Pool's business model is to constantly have new employees so that their payroll doesn't  get too high, so don't expect decent raises.  
When I started working, we accumulated Flex time.  Well, that changed also.  It is now just "sick time" and I cannot use it because I'm leaving.  I was really disappointed at how fast "benefits" went downhill. Sorry to have to be brutally honest, but maybe it will help a future employee.  


All you have to do is the job, and it can be one of the greatest jobs.  You really can't be paid more for doing nothing more than driving a car (van) and interacting with the students.  The vehicles are in fantastic condition hard-pressed to find a vehicle with a dent on it, maintenance issues, or left in disrepair. The fleet is always new or newer vehicles.  You have an issue, you report it, it gets fixed.  As stated by many of the reviews, I also am not a fan of the two way radio, but with the impending laws about cell phone use, there really is no other option.  I have a route that is about 35 hours.  There are a lot of routes out there with those kind of hours, you just have to speak up and inform supervisors of your needs.  The bonuses are often and generous.

The day is usually split a few hours in the early morning and a few hours in the afternoon. You can ask for more hours and do lots of fill ins. Changes happen.  Management can not help with behavioral , monitors are scarce so they are more valued than drivers. It is stressed the children but routes are swapped with no notice and no regard for the children. The company has grown so big so fast they need to hire more office staff and update payroll procedure. Mistakes are constant. Mailing your time sheet in weekly, not being allowed to drop it off and hoping it gets there in time is stressful.  Drivers are completely responsible for the van on their own time including refueling.I like the job the break in the middle of the day.  Just let me drive the same children and put the pay up for drivers and it would be the best job!!

Hostile work environment with terrible communication issues. At first I was excited to work here because I was promised a good job with benefits and hours. I was immediately hired on the spot and was lied to from day one about what the job entailed. 

The first day I was working there and was doing a ride along I was bitten by a client and was left with a bruise and a terrible impression and It didn't get any better from there. 

I wouldn't recommend this job to anyone and DO NOT APPLY HERE!! Routes are constantly change without warning, you are not kept up to date with route changes or whether or not your route is going or not. Management is a joke and does not know how to do their job, the dispatchers always have an attitude and treat their workers terribly. There is no health insurance options and no warning if your route is changed or cancelled until the last second. Hours extremely fluctuate from week to week with no guarantee. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR ANYONE!

This is great part time work for moms with school aged children and retirees - for drivers or monitors. Flexible scheduling - they will work around your needs. There is little stress and the kids are never dull. I have really enjoyed working with the teenagers. There is little contact between drivers as we are all on radio and seldom meet - thought the Bases do throw special events around the holidays in order for people to get together.There are many incentives and bonuses available ..for attendance, for instance that can actually raise the hourly rate over time. 
If I was ot leaving the area, I would gladly stay at this job if I wasn't relocatig

No health insurance. No paid snow days. Coworkers are MISERABLE to be around. They look like they’re being forced to work. Weird work culture.Managers don’t care to know their staff. Only one Manager seems happy and enthusiastic about employees. The rest make you feel like a dime in a dozen and grumpy/unapproachable . Too bad because there’s such a strong need for these positions. Offer health insurance, stronger pay. Paid snow days. Only the kids made it rewarding. The kids are awesome. But many don’t know how to work with the disabled population. You’re on your own and the kids suffer from work culture and knowledge.  

Been working for Vanpool for seven years and I have enjoyed it very much. Your hours do very depending on your route but overall you usually average around 32 hours per week. Being dependable is the most important factor with this job. If you do your job well you can keep your job for as long as you want. You will never get laid off only exception was Covid 19, but the company paid us to what would have been the end of the school year. Then we were able get unemployment. Probably the best part- time you could ask for.  You get to take the van home so you save the wear and tare on your own car plus saving on gas. Big plus.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Van driver 66 salaries reported	$23.12 per hour
Monitor 51 salaries reported	$17.86 per hour
Bus driver 9 salaries reported	$31.01 per hour
Transportation coordinator 7 salaries reported	$24.93 per hour
Bus monitor 1 salary reported	$17.39 per hour

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