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

Has anyone ever gave you a tip before?

Asked by Brandy about 5 years ago

Yes. It's few and far between but gifts and tips do happen. This one time, I was specially selected to provide transportation for a group of people coming in from out of town and they provided tips which were a welcome bonus.

Why do parents show up in droves when a bus driver pulls over due to excessive noise? I have seen videos of it and it makes me mad because I bet the driver pulled over and told them to be quite and then they start getting louder. I mean the noise level in the buses I have seen. Do the parents expect the driver to drive with that kind of screaming like wild banshees? Seriously?! The parents make it worse because I assume the driver can’t just let kids off with random people for all the driver probably knows. Their kids aren’t dying and if they shut up for a few minutes I bet they would have been on their merry way. Just let the supervisor, principle, and/or police show up take care of it then maybe they will let your kids off too you or they will continue on home or school. I understand they may be scared if the district never contacts the parents and they are twenty minutes late but when they know what happened why do they do that? Even calling the cops saying their kids are held hostage and make it sound like the driver put a gun to their heads. Anyways what do you think and have you ever been in a situation like this?

Asked by DJ over 5 years ago

DJ, first off how the heck did you get around the character limit??? Secondly, we live in a society of "me first." If anyone, including children, feel they are being wronged by anyone, their first instinct is to scream discrimination. It's sad, but a reality. With free access to social media and giving our children free access to these items, we create a level of distrust in everyone. Adults that were once held in a position of authority are now being stripped of that authority in order to further our own agendas.

All it takes in a situation like you described is a kid to call a parent and falsely accuse someone of doing something that they are not. We are so quick to blame as a country and to point the fingers at someone else that we fail to see the actual source of the blame and take care of the initial problem. So while the initial problem may be unruly disrespectful children, it is blown out of proportion to make the persons in charge at fault for the initial behavior. This is a direct result of a "not me" society. We refuse to take responsibility for our actions and therefore the blame lies with someone other than ourselves when it should lie directly with ourselves. The perceived injustice to themselves is never their own fault.

People need to start taking responsibility for their actions. As far as being in that situation, I have had furious parents who decidedly cuss me out for something that I did not do. It's frustrating because you are put in an impossible situation.

She also instead of immediately taking me to school she made me go in the gas station with her for like ten minutes. She never said sorry and acted like it was all my fault. My driver always announces stops and does not care if we sleep. She is Unreasonable

Asked by Dillion over 5 years ago

Well she couldn't leave you unsupervised. If it was me I'd have offered to buy you a drink (soda or water) and a snack before taking you home and saw to it that you had the opportunity to use the bathroom.

DO subs generally give feedback? Do a lot of bus driver quit after their first “year” (year used loosely) or before the end of term? Who typically becomes driver is it young people in college, older semi retirees, or who else?

Asked by You over 5 years ago

Subs are welcome to give feedback to regular drivers on their routes. Many times the kids will act out or act differently when there is a sub on the bus because they think they can get away with it. Generally not everyone is cut out to drive a school bus, so we do have people who will quit after a stressful moment. That being said drivers come from all walks of life and backgrounds.

What do you do if a sub comes 20 minutes early and your dad calls the bus barn and they refuse to send the bus back?

Asked by James over 5 years ago

Ask your dad for a ride or start walking to school. Or call an uber?

Thanks. Now if you where in a supervisory position would you allow buses to wait more then ten minutes? I think some places put a policy that buses are not able to wait over ten minutes. Why or why not?

Asked by Rodney about 5 years ago

Personally unless there was a good reason for a bus to be there early like they were meeting another bus to hold their children or something similar, i probably would institute a rule like that. The longer a bus waits sitting still with children the more possibilities there are for altercations between children. Not only that some states have idling laws.

Sorry forgot to post the link so. Hahaha this is really funny you might want to check it out. https://youtu.be/R17O1pgy8k4

Asked by Hahahahaha about 5 years ago

I'll check it out.