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.
Good question. Most employers in general ask for at minimum a highschool diploma even though you can get things like a drivers license and other things without one because they want to see how dedicated a person is to finishing what they start. A high school diploma (or GED) also shows that a person has dedicated time to finish something that was far more difficult than just a simple test. Stay in school.
No, but i have had to run another route after mine is done, or squeeze more kids on my bus in the afternoons to get them home. There is a driver shortage everywhere and no relief in sight.
It is sad and year after year we have more kids get hit by other drivers who don't pay attention.
I would think that means that they have an emergency situation that needs attention immediately instead of waiting forever for someone who might or might not respond.
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That's a tough question. Most districts purchase buses based on capacity and usability. The capacity of these buses are 48 passenger, 40 for the ones that are wheelchair accessible. The standard capacity for a school bus is 72 passengers at 3 to a seat. Of course this figure is impossible the older and larger a child gets. My route alone takes me an hour and a half in the morning and almost 2 hours in the afternoon. I transport more than 85 to 90 children across all age groups on a good day. A bus like that while appealing because of the comfort items, is impractical because even at full capacity i would need to make at minimum 2 rounds to get everyone to and from school. Many routes are designed to have the maximum number of ridership and in some cases will exceed that amount. Even on the longer routes. If the district had drivers available and enough finances available then sure. But otherwise i think it would waste valuable resources.
I don't know?
No not legally required. There are special circumstances where it might happen (like a terrorist attack which may close down major cities etc) but most states leave the decision up to the individual districts and schools to make that call.
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