How to hire crossing guards and flaggers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults. • Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary. • Direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals. • Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites. • Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets. • Record license numbers of vehicles disregarding traffic signals, and report infractions to appropriate authorities. • Report unsafe behavior of children to school officials. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential] • Strong speaking skills • Working knowledge of public safety and security • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $18.32 an hour ($38,100 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for crossing guards and flaggers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What crossing guards and flaggers do
- Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.
- Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary.
- Direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals.
- Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites.
- Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.
- Record license numbers of vehicles disregarding traffic signals, and report infractions to appropriate authorities.
- Report unsafe behavior of children to school officials.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for crossing guards and flaggers
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.5% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 17,300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay crossing guards and flaggers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $50,610 |
| Washington | $48,940 |
| Oregon | $47,110 |
| New York | $44,730 |
| Massachusetts | $43,460 |
| South Carolina | $32,690 |
| Nevada | $31,480 |
| New Mexico | $31,460 |
See crossing guards and flaggers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Subway and Streetcar Operators
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
- Security Guards
- Parking Enforcement Workers
- Bridge and Lock Tenders
- Locomotive Engineers
- Transportation Security Screeners
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.