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.
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.
Are your kids standing out at the stop 5-10 minutes ahead of time for the bus driver to see them? There may have been a substitute on the bus and not every substitute knows every stop and most rely on students being out at their designated stops on time. If your children have been told multiple times to be out on time ready and waiting and they were not, then I have no sympathy. That being said our policy in our district is that we go by every stop and at least look to see if the kids are at each stop. On colder mornings or mornings where rain is a concern, I don't mind waiting an extra minute for kids to come from the house but generally the kids need to be out and ready and waiting on the bus.
Yes. I have had a few close calls, though luckily none of my children have been hurt. Motorists disobeying the stop sign happens more often than you think. I apologize for the delay in responding.
No, I use my interior lights in the mornings so that I can keep an eye on my kids. Having kids of both genders on the bus in the dark can lead to questionable circumstances, so to prevent problems, its easier to drive with the lights on. Yes, we can get out of our seats if the bus is parked and secure.
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That's a bit dicey. It is frowned upon for us to do personal business in the bus in general. That isn't to say that we aren't allowed to make stops at a grocery store or Walmart for one reason or another as long as we do not abuse the privilege. What you may have witnessed too is a class field trip to a bank that may have been pre-planned for a teacher and students. Don't be so quick to judge as there may have been many reasons for a bus to be stopping at a local business for one reason or another. Keep in mind we often have second jobs and we get permission to park our buses at one location or another that is not on school property. If you are concerned about seeing a bus making repeated stops at a location, a phone call to the bus yard may clarify the situation and allow the proper authorities to be notified of any ill behavior.
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!
Our cameras are locked away to where we cannot turn off the cameras when the bus is on. However when the bus is stopped and turned off and NO students are on board, the cameras will turn off just like any other electronic when you turn on or off your vehicle. For the safety of the drivers, we are not allowed to turn off our buses while we have students on them except when waiting at a school, and then most of us turn our keys to the left all the way to keep the cameras rolling.
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