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.
There can be any number of reasons a bus driver has someone riding the bus with them. If its not a regular occurrence, then the person is likely a safety evaluator or supervisor of some sort. This may be so that the driver is periodically and randomly evaluated by the company they work for. Another reason you might find someone riding the bus with your driver is simply so that other person can learn your bus drivers route details. Periodically we might have to be absent from work for some reason or another and a substitute driver is needed. In order to cut down on the confusion, subs will often learn each route separately. Finally, if your bus is one that needs supervision by an aide, the driver could have requested someone to be an aide on the bus in order to help manage students behavior.
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Hi Chuck! Sorry for the delay in response. It would depend on what the accident involved. I can't speak for most bus companies but many of them go on a case by case basis. Most require a 5-7 year MVR history regardless of whether or not there was any offenses in that time. If you are disqualified from driving, you will be notified then. Good luck!
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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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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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That depends on a case by case basis. It may be that the driver was asked to cover another area and school and is having to make adjustments accordingly. All too often where we pick up and who we pick up is determined by the school system itself.
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Own up to it, offer to pay for the damages, and apologize. Also don't damage other peoples stuff.
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Were you at your designated stop on time and ready for the bus driver to pick you up? If you were and she did not stop then there may have been a substitute bus driver who did not know the route and stops on the bus route very well. We make mistakes. The best thing for you to do in that situation is go home and ask your parents to call the bus yard or school and see if they can send the bus back to get you or have them drive you to school and call in to the bus yard to find out what happened.
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