Sunrise School Division
Bus Driver Referral Program
2025 - 2026 School Year
All Divisional Staff and Students
Eligible to Participate
Refer a Friend
Refer a Family Member
Refer a Neighbour
… And Earn Cash!
Sunrise School Division, Bus Driver Referral Program, School Year 2025 – 2026 Page 1 of 2
Updated: August 2025
Sunrise School Division (the Division) is looking to hire new bus drivers. Like many school
divisions, we are facing a shortage, and we need your help finding additional drivers.
Purpose
The purpose of the Bus Driver Referral Program is to reward YOU, our current staff and
students, who help us find new drivers. Effective September 1, 2025, you can earn up to
$1,000 for each new driver referred who is ultimately hired by the Division. Program rules
and restrictions apply.
Program success depends on staff and students regularly publicizing the Division and its
need to recruit bus drivers in our rural communities. We encourage you to check our open
driver positions and consider your social and extended networks as potential resources
for referring candidates.
Who Can Be Referred?
If you know someone who you think would be a good fit as a bus driver, reach out to them
and encourage them to apply. Drivers need to be a minimum of 18 years of age, hold a
Class 5F* or Class 2 driver’s license, and be able to provide a satisfactory Driver’s
Abstract with at least of three (3) years of experience. Referred drivers cannot have
previously worked as a bus driver for the Division.
The Division is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against
protected characteristics.
* Referrals holding a Class 5F driver’s license must meet the Class 2 driver’s license requirements and
complete the required training. Training is provided by the Division to successful applicants.
Who is Eligible to Participate in the Program?
All Division staff and students are eligible to refer driver candidates, with the exception of:
• Superintendent/CEO, Trustees, and Secretary-Treasurer
• Transportation Manager and Shop Foreperson
• Human Resources Staff
What Do You Need To Do?
Sunrise School Division, Bus Driver Referral Program, School Year 2025 – 2026 Page 2 of 2
Updated: August 2025
1. Regularly check our open driver postings on the Division’s website.
2. Consider your social and extended networks as potential resources for referring
candidates.
3. Publicize and encourage those in your network to apply to posted casual, term, and
permanent positions as they come available.
4. Notify the individual to identify you by providing your name as the referral on their
application when they apply, and/or at the time they are hired as an employee.
At the time of hire, the hired candidate will be asked if any staff or student provided a
referral. If the candidate has identified you as the staff or student that encouraged them
to apply, and they are hired, you will receive a referral payment of up to $1,000. Reward
payments will be paid out in the following manner:
1. $500 will be paid within one (1) month following the date of the driver’s hire.
2. Additional monies will be paid to you after the referred candidate meets the
following milestones:
a) $250.00 upon successfully completing twenty (20) full-day routes, or the
equivalent of.
b) $250.00 upon successfully completing six (6) months’ of employment. Note: for
Casual employees, the expectation is that they have been available for shifts
when called upon during this period.
Program Elements
• There is no cap to the number of referrals you can make.
• If more than one staff or student refers the same candidate, only the first person
identified by the successfully hired candidate will receive the referral cash reward. No
more than one reward will be paid for a successfully hired candidate.
• Cash rewards may be subject to taxation.
• The Division may change or discontinue the referral program at any time throughout
the school year based on effectiveness of the program. The Division’s website will
communicate any changes clearly and timely.
• Should the program be discontinued, referrals made prior to the program ending will
be honoured for a period of three (3) months following the program’s end date.
• Questions about the Bus Driver Referral Program can be emailed to Jason Ziprick Transportation Manager at [email protected]