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.
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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That would depend on your district laws. Look in the children's school handbook for bus policy and procedure. If in doubt, call the bus yard and ask. Eleven is a bit young to be let off with a younger sibling, but in my county and state, children as young as 9 can be left home alone without supervision or let off without a parent there. That being said, if you always pick them up and have never failed to pick them up, as a driver, I would immediately question you not being there. I have some kids whose parents meet them every day, and others whom if there is a vehicle in the yard, I am to assume (and have been told this by the parents) that somebody is home for the children though nobody is at the door to greet them. Additionally, a half mile seems quite a distance for an elementary kid to meet the bus. Is there a place down your road closer to your house that the bus could potentially turn around? Maybe you need to ask and see if there is a possibility to change the stop?
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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 general, it is frowned upon to put your hands on a child. That being said I have grabbed onto kids to stop them from hurting themselves. For example if a 5 year old gets out of the bus seat before their stop and my foot is on the brake, the bus will brake faster than the kid realizes and I often put my hand out to stop them from sliding into or hitting the windshield of the bus. If your child won't sit down, I will stop my bus until the child sits as they should. I may take them by the hand and lead them to the seat and ask them to sit down but I would never forcefully move them or cause them to get harmed in the process. If a child will not slide to the window to make room for other students, I will generally speak to that child's parent first. With many little kids, less is more. The more direct you can be in your expectations and less intimidating, the more likely they are going to listen and obey. That being said if the driver did put his or her hands on your child or child's belongings, ask the bus yard to pull the video tape and review the drivers actions.
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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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Depends on the age of the student for me. If its a highschooler i might discipline them by making them sit up separated by gender. Same with any other grade level. Repeated offenses and I would turn them into the school for inappropriate display of affection
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As i said before, we prefer not.
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