Pros
The company demonstrates genuine concern about safety, both on the road and in the workplace. They are great at backing up their employees when a safety concern needs to be addressed. At least at my location, the managers and dispatchers are always ready and willing to help with any concern, whether safety related or not. Also, advancement for motivated and talented individuals is readily available.
Cons
The pay is well below standard for class B drivers, subsequently they lose many of their drivers to other companies such as trash collectors or dock trucks which have a starting pay of up to $20 plus benefits. First Student offers very expensive health care options, which are not clearly presented to employees. I had to go searching for the information. Also, the summers pose a problem as driver's hours, especially drivers who have less than a year with the company, suffer greatly. Charters and routes are given out solely based on seniority. Anyone with less than a year with the company stands a good chance of having their monthly income cut in half or more. Additionally, even for drivers that get work during the summer, most of it is lot work (cleaning buses, etc) which pays $2 less per hour. Not a great motivator.