The Bus Driver
15 Years Experience
South, ..
Female, 37
I have been a bus driver since late 2006. I know the inside story, the scoop, the down low dirt of what it takes to be a bus driver, how to handle kids and adults, and how to survive on the "streets" so to speak. I used to have a blog, feel free to browse it or ask me a question here.
Depending on your district will depend on the procedure for applying for a job. In my district, applicants submit their applications to the local board of education. The process begins there. I suggest you go to your local board of education. They will be able to give you the necessary direction in which to go to apply to be a bus driver or monitor.
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That depends on the situation at hand. As a rule of thumb, I don't put my hands on any of the children on my bus because of the liability issues surrounding that. If a child offers a hug, I will sideways hug or simply reach my hand up and pat them on the side of the head ensuring that minimal body contact happens. That being said, if there is a safety issue and the children are at risk of being injured or killed (an example of this would be if a vehicle is choosing to ignore our stop signs and warning lights for loading and unloading children) I will put my arm out to stop a child or pull them back from harms way. Not in any malicious intent, but only to watch out for their well being.
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That is true, you shouldnt put the bus in reverse and get out and walk behind. If you have an aide, have them walk behind the bus while you control the bus in order to test the back up lights. If you're alone, then I would either ask one of my co-workers to check or get a pvc pipe so that you can wedge it between the seat and brake pedal (with the parking brake set of course) and instead of getting out of the bus you can simply walk down the aisle inside the bus and peek out the back door to see if the lights seem to be functioning properly. I would not do what your boss is suggesting as that puts yours and others safety at risk.
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Short answer - no. Long answer - yes with a but. If the parent is causing the conflict or there is an imminent danger to children the bus driver has a duty to call back up to help solve any major conflict. If the parent is looking to help a bus driver who has been assaulted, then okay but as long as it is not a revenge tactic. If its an emergency such as the child is choking or otherwise injured, then exceptions to that rule is warranted.
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All of my kids know to sit properly in their seats. If one decides to go under the seat they get a front seat for a period of time until they learn that they must sit down properly. If your driver is allowing it, you should report it to the principal of your school or the transportation department for the safety of the other students on the bus.
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Hi Carter,
Technically, no, the bus driver cannot take a kid to the bus parking area to help clean up unless there was a good reason and it was previously approved by the school and the parents. That situation would be if the kid had vandalized the seats or bus in any way and was cleaning the bus instead of having his/her parents pay for the damage. As far as getting the same bus and route your driver is currently on, depending on your area bus shop will depend on how they run things. Where I live, all the drivers keep their same routes and buses unless new buses come in and those are given out yearly. In other areas, the drivers have to bid on the routes and buses they use. It really depends on where you live. Also buses are typically put out of service after a certain mileage for the safety of the students.
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Yes. In my district we have to pass a yearly physical by a DOT certified doctor. They aren't anything too bad, mostly just a general physical and then questions about history and medications. The DOT is cracking down on people with CDL licenses (both Class A and B) and are requiring some drivers to go through additional testing. This may be anything from an extra eye exam if you wear glasses to a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea.
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