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.
Take your time. Use your training. Most companies will have policies put in place for snow driving. This may include putting on snow tires or snow chains on the tires to help with traction, using lower gears, or reduced speeds in general. I live in the south, but I grew up in the northeast New England area and just like any region, driving in inclement weather, whether it be rain, snow, ice, wind, or fog, must be done with an abundance of caution especially when transporting children to and from school. Good luck!
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In my district, we are allowed to put children off at two places. 1. that child's regular stop, and 2. at any school within the district up to and including district school board offices and the bus barn itself. As for you spitting gum at somebody, did you consider the ramifications of your actions? First, who is going to clean up the gum, which by now has probably stuck to the seat or to the floor and been walked on? Second, is throwing or spitting something at someone a way to solve a problem? Third, if you are having a problem with somebody, please, feel free to tell the driver so that the driver can make adjustments. That being said, while its NOT illegal, it may be against policy.
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1. Get a route description. Most companies will have these available to substitute drivers. The description will notate the stops and times for each stop.
2. Most kids are more than willing to help you find your way. Ask them. Don't hesitate to let them tell you where to go.
3. If the kids aren't at their stops in the mornings, you have no fault in the situation. They know to be there 5-10 minutes ahead of time and to be waiting on you. In the afternoons the schedule is a little more flexible in getting the kids home. Take your time and eventually they all get off the bus!
4. Don't sweat the little things. The kids are going to turn around in the seat and talk. As long as the noise is not distracting and at a reasonable level and as long as they are staying in their seats, let the kids be kids.
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Are all 4 of you trying to cram into one seat at once? If this is the case then I can see your frustration. Can you ask him if he means rows of seats instead of just a single seat? If he means rows of seats then a row of seats can fit 4 people (two on each side). Also, if there are four kids in one seat that are near high school age I would have a hard time cramming those kids in that one single seat. Maybe you can get your parents to discuss the issue with the bus driver?
An example of where I use location of students to my benefit is on my run. I have one seat where I have 5 students assigned to that single seat. Two are middle schoolers, one is a high schooler and 2 are elementary kids that are kindergarten and 2nd grade. The middle school rides the first run and the high schooler and two elementary get on in the second run. The only reason why I have the two elementary with the high schooler is because they are her little cousins and she can squeeze next to them easily without creating an issue. I also don't mind if there is a spare seat that they adjust accordingly and let the little kid sit with someone else as long as there is space available.
Good luck
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If the bus is not pulled over in a safe manner and is left in the middle of a road, then the bus driver is in the wrong and should be reported. However, dirt roads don't often allow us to pull over as far as we'd like or are so narrow that we have to travel center. As far as your bus mate farting, I suggest the child learn to control his or her bodily functions.
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Are your children in your vehicle or are they standing at the stop? Its not clear as to where your children were this morning while waiting for the bus. That being said, it doesn't change the fact that it could have been a substitute bus driver that doesn't know the route very well. If there is a visibility issue then you definitely need to take that up with the school district or be standing out there with your children with a flash light to maybe flag the driver down if visibility is an issue. Perhaps installing a street light or lamp might illuminate the situation and make it clear if your children were standing at the stop. Either way you should probably contact the district to talk to them about it and address your complaints.
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It depends on the state you live in as to how the bus is configured for example if the bus has seatbelts or not. The best course of action once one has experienced an accident, especially something as severe as a crash or flipping over, is to evacuate the bus using one of the designated exits. If the driver is conscious and able to perform his/her duties, they will instruct you on how to exit the bus, otherwise exiting the bus in a safe manner and then moving a distance away from the wreck for safety is advised. For simple fender benders or less serious accidents, the driver will tell you what he or she expects.
To minimize your injury in an accident, sit the proper way in a seat with your bottom against the seat bottom, your back against the seat back and your feet on the floor. Sitting sideways or kneeling up reduces the efficacy of the structure of the bus when it comes to accidents. If your bus is equipped with seatbelts, wear them. Stay calm. Accidents are unexpected so there is no real way to prepare for them. It is not quite like an airplane where they have the safety brochure and "crash positions". We are on the road so it is hard to predict how other drivers will be.
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