School Bus Driver

School Bus Driver

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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

1007 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 07, 2021

Best Rated

Okay so I heard somewhere that a bus driver can not break up a fight. My bus driver a few years ago did and nothing happened to her. She still drove so she did not get fired, suspended, or put in jail

Asked by Karen almost 7 years ago

It depends on the district policies and is generally left up to the personal call of the driver in charge. For example, if I have two middle school or high school kids fighting, I will call the cops. But if the kids are elementary, scrawny and tiny, I'll intervene before they beat the snot out of each other.

Can a bus driver with a bus load of kids get off the bus to assist with a motor vehicle collision if they secure the bus, take the keys, and put a responsible and trustworthy older student in charge?

Asked by Luke over 6 years ago

Depending on the situation would be when I'd make that judgement call. Typically its best to not interfere unless life is at stake and you know you can save a life.

After talking to some witnesses & another mom, I feel that my 5yr old is being suspended unfairly. He has been accused of throwing an object, when he simply only dropped it, and for getting up. I was told she writes kids up for talking. What can I do

Asked by Momof2 over 6 years ago

You can ask for the video tape to be pulled off the bus and reviewed by the administrators. Truthfully if he was consistently not staying in his seat and the administration saw that, then they are justified in suspending him. He may also have thrown an object not just dropped it. Point is there should be video of the incident in question. If he was suspended unfairly, the video would show and clear his name.

What was your first year like?

Asked by You are the right one ?? almost 7 years ago

A lot of learning. I had to think outside the box and then learn on a steep learning curve to manage students.

How do you handle “kids” when they have constant behaviour problems, the use lots if profanity, talk too loud, yell, smoke, talk back, bad mouth the bus driver where the driver can hear them, etc?

Asked by Gannet over 6 years ago

Write them up and turn them into the administration. Generally i try to handle problems before they get out of control though.

What happens when a school bus has to enter gated neighborhood like how do you open the gate?

Asked by Mr. Dr. Professor Patrick almost 7 years ago

The bus driver is given the code by the association that owns the gate and generally like everyone else has to press in the code to open the gate. Some gated communities are open during certain periods of the day like commuter times to allow buses in and out. Some are open during the day and close only at night. Some require a remote to open and the bus is provided with that. There's ways around it. Some communities have a gate guard that will let a bus in and out.

There is also a video of a bus driver blowing a whistle in a kids ear and yelling at him.

Asked by Jeff almost 7 years ago

Thats unacceptable.