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.
There's a shortage because it is hard to find someone who is willing to put up with all that we put up with for the low pay we get. Often times we make even less than food service workers and janitorial staff and are expected to have all the qualifications to ensure the children get from home to school and back again safely. Couple that with a severe lack of discipline follow through on the school administration part and it's a vicious cycle.
There are always routes out there that nobody else wants but I am a firm believer that there is a bus driver for every route meaning that there is a bus driver that will be able to reach the kids on each route in that special way. It is sort of like a matching game, you have to figure out which bus driver matches with what route. Some routes are definitely more challenging than others.
We went back January 6.
Pandora. Usually kids stations or holiday appropriate stations.
Veterinarian
How do you break the news to a kid when his pet dies?
Football Official
Were the replacement refs actually worse than the regular refs?
Hairstylist and Makeup Artist
What types of clients are the worst to deal with?
Just stand back and let the a holes duke it out. There are plenty of seats on a bus and people are gonna be immature no matter what you do.
There aren't really good stories as good moments. Sometimes I'll have a kid who turns around and gives a hug to me randomly or just decides that they're gonna behave or any number of things really.
Weather, traffic, and trains are my top three followed by shortage of staff issues. It's no secret that there's been a bus driver shortage lately mainly due to the behavior of the kids and the low pay offered to put up with the behavior issues. Rarely a maintenance issue pops up, but it does happen. Even the most "on time" bus driver can be late.
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