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.
Well first off, never cross the road without signal from the driver. You are safer in your own yard than crossing the road before they get there especially in the first few days of school. The driver probably didn't see you because they obviously were not expecting you to come out of the yard or home. Especially if you are not a listed stop on their route. Remember you are still dealing with vehicles. You wouldn't just walk in front of a taxi in NYC just because it's yellow and going in your general direction. Don't be stupid and get killed.
Not to my knowledge. Some buses are still not automatic, though most buses made today are automatic, and unless the driver has trained on a stick shift bus, then they can't drive it. There is extra training required for buses higher than 72 passenger because of the length of the bus.
Flat nose buses are unique in that the driver sits in front of the front wheels so it takes a little extra awareness to make turns around corners. Some drivers get spooked by the feeling of driving a vehicle like that and prefer a traditional style. Personally, I've driven both.
No. If the kid is dawdling and has been told multiple times not to, the driver has every right to leave the stop. That being said some drivers build in a little extra time for that stop that dawdles coming out of the house because they care and sometimes kids have bad mornings too.
They do it for the same reason a parent spanks their child. Often its a knee jerk reaction (and not a very mature one at that) in an effort to get the child to behave. It's done out of frustration and lack of options when the child hasn't faced consequences. Personally there is no reason to put safety at risk over a child standing up. As for your second question. Yes they're safe as long as they have had the same training that everyone else has had to get and obtain a drivers license.
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Depending on where we are, take him to the school or take him home. Depending on the situation like legitimate accident or little johnny is just being an ass will determine my next course of action. If he's being an ass, generally I'll write him up.
I can't speak for all buses but the newer buses in my district including my own have an auxiliary feature where i can plug in an aux cord and play music through my phone through the radio. I generally will play pandora Disney kids music or tween popular songs that are mostly clean lyrics. If i have only older kids on the bus like highschoolers, i will allow them to hook up to the aux cord themselves and play their music or use my phone to search pandora.
You have to be crazier than the kids.
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