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.

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1007 Questions

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Last Answer on February 07, 2021

Best Rated

Why does our bus driver care so much if we stand up while where stoped in the terminal?! What the heck does it matter we are stopped! Why?

Asked by Abby over 5 years ago

Well its not so much the fact that you are standing its that there are other moving vehicles around the bus. The safest place for a child to be is seated properly in the seat. It also cuts down on any major issues that can arise by someone roaming the bus like bullying or fighting.

Okay so I want to ask this without sounding mean. Why do you think some drivers like to pull in five, ten, even fifteen minutes before the doors open? Is it maybe for hours so they can say they get paid more? Or do you think they just want to be there early so if something happens they wont have to worry about being late? Just curious.

Asked by Asker dmsjsjdndn over 5 years ago

Some like to be first in line. I'll never understand why they decide to pull in and wait. It makes no sense to me. That's why i plan my route to be done right on time.

Can the board and transportation have desertion over whether to transport students who don’t live in the district but go to school in the district for one reason or another. I heard word on the street they may start but I don’t know if they can.

Asked by Don about 5 years ago

Yes they can have discretion to provide transportation to out of district kids. In our district if a parent chooses to enroll their child out of district, they are responsible for transporting that child.

Hey one more why are they getting rid of buses that are older but well maintained and could have gotten more years out of them. So why did they get rid of them and replace them with some more buses that in ten years will probably be replaced?!

Asked by Kelly over 5 years ago

State and federal laws prohibit use of a bus if its over a certain age or mileage due to the safety features meant to keep kids safe being constantly updated. Thats why older buses are being pulled to be spare buses and replaced.

Do you prefer a simple bus with bare minimum options or a bus with every luxury option there is where there is what feels like thousands of switches but they all are nice features?

Asked by Friend over 5 years ago

I have no real preference as long as it starts, runs, works for what i need it to do and gets kids to and from school. The extra items like AC or anything else is bonus.

Those regulations are a joke and no one follows them. So what are they going to do about it really? It’s a waste of money to get rid of a good bus that could be updated and retrofitted and buy a whole new bus. That new bus could explains the fleetBut instead it’s replacing a bus that did not need replacing. I don’t think they where breaking any regulations in my state. So it’s just weird.

Asked by Kelly over 5 years ago

Retrofitting a bus costs about as much money as purchasing a brand new one off the line. Sometimes its cheaper to get new and as the buses age its like cars, the parts become obsolete and unavailable over time.

Do bus drivers really ever make a kid come to the bus barn and help them clean the bus or repair damage? I have had a few threaten it before just curious.

Asked by RAAARW about 5 years ago

Potentially yes if permission is given by parents and the supervisor of the bus barn. Truthfully just clean up after yourselves and we won't have an issue.