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.
All the time. Parents get irritated or angry at us for one reason or another. They don't like the seat their child is assigned to sit in, their child can't sit next to so and so, their child came home with a bus citation for poor behavior on the bus. You name it, they get frustrated and angry with us. Most of the time, I am able to calm them down, but the few I cannot calm down, I invite them to call my boss and set up a meeting where their concerns can be handled appropriately. If a child is being bullied or beat up on the bus, I do appreciate a parent coming to me with a concern so that I can be aware of the bullying situation and handle it appropriately and immediately.
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No, we will call or radio ahead to notify the bus shop and the school that we are going to be late. We do this so we do not get in trouble and the kids who are riding our buses can get breakfast and get to class in a reasonable amount of time as well. High schoolers especially worry about getting to class on time and the little kids usually eat breakfast at school, so we try to make accommodations for them because many of them have not eaten breakfast at home. Sometimes being late is inevitable, we have to wait on a train, accident, or other thing that holds us up.
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Well, there is the logical question of, "How are we going to get 70 something kids to sit down and buckle up?" I'd be forever sitting by the side of the road trying to get the kids buckled. Then there is also the ever present question, "What about an accident?" Some little kids on the buses do not have the dexterity to push the button on the seatbelt release, therefore the responsibility falls to the bus driver. If the bus driver is incapacitated, then what? It is often thought that school buses are simply safer by using a method called compartmentalization, that is why the seats on newer buses are at least a foot taller than the older buses. Should there be an accident (excluding rolling over or tipping on the side) then the children are likely to stay in one area. Hope this answers your question.
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That's a good question. It really depends on the company you work for, the situation at the time of the accident, and the circumstances surrounding the incident. For something simple, non serious, as a fender bender or striking a deer/other large animal, its likely you wouldn't lose your job pending the outcome of a drug test. For something more serious where human lives are lost or there is some severe damage, it is likely you would lose your job. Again it really depends on the company. Personally, I've been in a "fender bender" situation, I did not lose my job even though I was at fault. It was a matter of lack of visibility and someone being stupid by tailgating my school bus. I went to back up and turn around, and the guy was right under my bumper - where I couldn't see him even though I checked my mirrors. I did not get cited for the accident, though I was deemed "at fault", because the other driver did not have insurance. It was an honest mistake. One thing that happens at every accident regardless of who is at fault, is a drug test.
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Employment Lawyer
Can a man sue if he's denied a job at Hooters?
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Depending on the age of the child, we do like to see a parent/guardian/babysitter there when the child gets off the bus. Federal Law states that children under a certain age cannot be left home alone. I'm not exactly sure of the age but i think its 10 yrs old or under. Most kids have parents or someone waiting for them when they get home. We cannot be sure that every child has someone waiting for them (in cases of dropping kids off at an apartment complex), however, we can try to be sure that someone IS waiting for them and be proactive. If someone is not home to receive the child, we will typically try to call the emergency numbers (if the numbers work) and try to get someone to be available to receive the child. Occasionally, if the parents are habitual about not being home, or we cannot reach anyone through the phone numbers provided, we will take the child to the police station and let the professionals handle it.
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Bullying... the quintessential problem for any person who is in the school system, be it teacher, bus driver, or even custodian. I have experienced bullying a time or two on the bus and I immediately put a stop to it. The child who is bullying gets wrote up and turned into the school for disciplinary action. I also take a look at the video tape (all our buses have cameras with vhs or digital recording) and determine if the one who is bullying is also being bullied. If that is the case, then those who are involved get wrote up. In order to prevent further bullying out of earshot of me, I often will move those students to the first 2-4 seats so that I can hear and keep a better eye out on them.
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The idea of hiring adults to act as monitors is a good idea, but sadly many school systems just do not have the money to provide this service. If a child is being bullied, I recommend that a parent take it to the bus driver and notify the bus driver, and if that does not get results, then the parent can also call the bus supervisor and get it handled from there. Unfortunately, we do not have eyes and ears in the back of our heads so unless there is a really serious situation going on, we really honestly have no idea and cannot DO anything about the situation unless the child/parent/other children speak up and let us know. Certain laws mandate that there be an aide on certain buses such as special education buses, and sometimes school districts will opt to provide a monitor or aide for buses that are particularly troublesome. As always, safety of our children is our utmost concern.
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It is a big deal for the younger kids, however bus drivers often solve that problem by either assigning seats or letting just the high school age kids sit in the back of the bus. There has never been an all out brawl over the back seats and often I will make the children move from the last two seats on the bus due to safety issues. In an ideal world, those two seats would not be filled by students.
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You need a Commerical Drivers Licence (CDL) A or B - With Passenger and School Bus endorsements. Typically a CDL A class will cover most of what you need to know about driving a large vehicle and all you would need to do is take the tests for the passenger and school bus endorsements. A CDL B will do the same thing, except you cannot drive 18 wheelers with the CDL B license. Everyone is different in how they take and pass the classes, but in my opinion, its really not all that hard if you study. Most bus companies offer training which will help you obtain your license.
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Most kids do. However, we do get a few kids who will not respect us the same way they respect their teachers and other authority figures, but chances are good they just have a problem with authority figures in general and have been in trouble at school, at home, and then, on the bus. Most of the time, I manage the kids and their behavior very well, and they know when they have pushed me too far. The few that have the authority problems, will likely always have authority problems until they learn to grow up.
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That depends on the bus. Since I bounce from bus to bus, some buses work better with the radio on, others get horribly obnoxious and cannot handle listening to the radio. (They forget they are in a moving vehicle and think they are in some nightclub.) Depending on the bus, or my mood, I will typically give the kids a choice between certain radio stations, or simply put on the one radio station that will satisfy nearly everyone on the bus. I refuse to listen to songs or stations that play songs that have an inordinate amount of swear words where half the song is "blanked" out due to the cussing. Its not appropriate to listen to on a school bus that has kids ranging in age from 4 years old to 18 years old. Since we have all ages on the buses, I have to be careful the type of music I let the kids listen to. During the holidays, I do have a couple of holiday cd's and there is a local station that will play holiday music. Usually, regardless of what bus I am on in the month of December, if the radio works on the bus I am driving, its driver's choice. Every now and again if I have a bus that has a designated high school run, I will allow the high schoolers to choose the radio station, since by that age, most of them tend to be responsible enough to listen to it properly. Those buses often do 2-3 runs in the morning and in the afternoon due to the amount of children on the route.
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Some individual systems provide a budget to have aides on all buses, however aides are typically found on special ed buses. Occasionally a school system will make an exception to the traditional one adult per bus and hire an aide for those buses whose behavior problems have proven a need for an aide to manage while the bus driver drives. Most of the time, the kids are fairly well behaved. They usually sit down like they are supposed to and can get a little loud at times, but very rarely do I experience extreme behavior problems that would require a full time aide. Often the reason why there is no aide on all buses is because of budget issues. My system is facing 9 furlough days due to budget cuts and the money is simply not in the budget.
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Yes, riding the buses in the USA is a privilege, not a right. We have the power to get their bus riding privilege revoked, but we have to go through the school and show a track record through write ups, warnings, parent conferences, etc, with no changes before we can actually get the privilege revoked. In my school system, the kids who get written up have a progressive consequence. First write up is a warning. Second, is 1-3 days off the bus, third is 3-5 days off the bus, fourth is 5-10 days off, and then finally off for the rest of the semester or year. Unfortunately in my system, not all principals follow the system dictated by the school board and the parents will and have gone to the school board over their child losing riding privileges even though the behavior has not changed. Its frustrating for us.
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Yes there is. Every bus driver, teacher, principal, and other employee in the school system is a Mandated Reporter. That means if we suspect or witness child abuse, we HAVE to report it by law. Each state is different in how to report child abuse, but where I work, if we suspect a child is being abused at home, we notify the supervisor at the bus shop and the school the child attends. It then sets into motion numerous meetings between the principal, counselors, and teachers involved and often will get the child out of the abuse situation. We take abuse cases very seriously and it is sometimes very hard to prove that there is any abuse going on because many people will not abuse the child in front of us. We document everything we notice such as signs of physical abuse or neglect, and various behavior patterns. Often, if a parent is habitually not home when we drop off a young child, we will report it and take the child over to the police station because the child is lacking in supervision at home.
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No. Though we do have a bus driver appreciation week and occasionally regular bus drivers will receive small gifts from their students and families at the holidays. It is not typical to find and really depends on how well the bus driver works with families. Some drivers have had their routes for 15+ years and often have developed a rapport with the families on their routes. Gifts and tips are definitely appreciated by bus drivers. I also work as a Transit driver, and I do occasionally get a tip from passengers. Again its much appreciated, but not necessary.
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This was a very hard video to watch, and in fact, I could not watch it all the way through. I address this issue on my blog. However to answer your question - Kids are mean. They do not think before they speak and often will torment others just because they can. I've been bullied by the kids before because of my size, and I don't let it bother me, and turn in those that are bullying. Unfortunately the consequences for the students who bully are not severe enough to STOP the bullying. Too many excuses for poor behavior.
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Sometimes even the most seasoned bus driver isn't always cheerful in the mornings. I do try to greet my students with a good morning, even if I'm not the most cheerful. Yes sometimes the behavior does affect my mood, but when you think of bus drivers in movies, they're simply actors, they get paid to be all cheery. We are doing a job that is often thankless and can be very difficult.
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That's a good question - I'm not really sure how it works in other states and each individual school district has their own policies on what is considered inclement weather, but our district rarely closes for inclement weather. The one time we did, since I've been there, I think it was a combination of the transportation department and the school board deciding what was safest for the students. We had experienced some torrential rain which washed out a lot of our roads and caused some very unsafe conditions for students, so the school was closed because of the road conditions caused by the rain.
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That’s a tough question to answer. Ideally if you have a monitor on the bus, the monitor should not be a distraction and you should be able to work side by side with the monitor. Have you tried speaking with the monitor directly? Maybe she/he doesn’t know that what they are doing is bothering you. If you feel you cannot speak to the person directly, ask your boss for a mediation session where he/she can have the both of you in the office and you two can hash out your differences. It may be that the boss may decide to move the monitor to a different bus, and give you a new monitor for yours. Personally, I prefer to drive a bus by myself because its easier to handle all behavior problems because I can be consistent in my discipline methods. If I write a student up for behavior and my monitor doesn’t for the same behavior, it sends mixed messages to the student on how to behave. I hope you find a resolution soon!
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I think you ought to be allowed to use the bathroom should you need it, however if you are leaving students unattended on your bus, I can see your boss' problem with you using the bathroom. If it is simply a matter of you pulling the bus over in a public area at a gas station, your boss may be wanting to avoid phone calls from the "concerned public" of buses parking in places where they shouldn't. After all, the county public pays your salary right? (That was a bit of sarcasm.) One thing your boss may be concerned about is you getting students to school on time. If you only need 5 minutes to use the restroom, simply back your route up by 5 minutes so that you budget that "bathroom time" into your route.
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The emergency doors in the back of the bus (or on the side of the bus in some models) are simply opened by a red lever in the back of the bus. Any child can do it in the case of an emergency. The door is not locked. The door can be locked, however when securing your bus for the evening after you have completed your route. The newer models of buses have a simple slide latch and the latch communicates with the ignition system of the bus. If the latch is locked, the bus will not start. It ensures that the door always stays unlocked so that students can get out in the case of an emergency.
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It wasn't difficult at all. Its just like driving a very very very long SUV. You do have to have good spatial awareness to know where your tail end is from your front end, but overall, it wasn't hard. As far as training, you need to have a CDL B with a passenger and school bus endorsements. The other types of training as far as hands on and classroom time vary by state. Your local bus shop should have the information you need as far as when the next class is.
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Well, things like power windows are not practical because the kids would be forever playing with them, and we don't need any more buttons to deal with. A lot of the newer buses are equipped with power mirrors, mirror defoggers/defrosters, air ride seats, and air conditioning. One thing that I would like to see is better running/back up lights on the exterior of the bus for when we have to do turn around's in the dark. Another thing that I would like to see in addition to the air ride seats, is more cushioning/comfort in the drivers seats since we are often on the road for very long hours. In an ideal world, every bus would have an aide on it to monitor and help defuse behavior problems as well, but funding is just not available.
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In my county, yes, we are responsible for cleaning our buses inside and out. Mainly we sweep the floors and we can rinse out the inside with soap and water with a hose. The outside of the bus gets washed by a large "bus wash" - a car wash for buses. We are supposed to sweep out the buses at least once a day, but some drivers will make it a weekly thing. Many drivers will ban the kids from eating or drinking on the bus to minimize the accumulation of trash on the bus and to prevent spills from liquids. Its easy to sweep a bus clear of all dirt (which is inevitable with kids on the bus), but it is harder to clean it if it is all sticky and dirty. I don't know how other bus shops run their buses.
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Federal law states that a school bus can go no faster than 40 mph on route and up to 55 mph on highways. Many school buses are governed down so they cannot go faster than a certain speed. In my district, the buses WERE governed to 65 mph, but some drivers were breaking the speed limit, so we were then governed down to between 55 and 60 mph. Other districts do not govern their school buses down. If you see a bus driver acting reckless by speeding faster than 70 mph on a highway, feel free to call it in and report them.
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That is a good question. I actually had to look up the answer myself as I had not remembered what they said in training class. The white top of a school bus is reportedly a measure enacted to help cool the school bus. We do not have air conditioning on buses in my district, and the white tops supposedly keep the heat down inside the bus. Some newer models have tinted windows which also try to keep the heat from entering the bus. Another reason there are white tops, and strobe lights on the top of buses, is to assist with visibility from the air and on the ground.
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Well, I think part of the reason they do not let you tie your wheelchair down yourself is because the driver/aide must be sure that the wheelchair is adequately secured in the bus. If the bus were to get into an accident and you were hurt because your wheelchair was not tied down properly by you, it can be a liability to the district. Also, if you are riding the bus as a passenger, the driver is still having the full responsibility of everyone on their bus.
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Each job has its selection of characters. Most of the time, a majority of the behavior problems I experience comes from the kids, but we do have adults who can be quite "special" in their behavior as well. I believe that the reason why adults tend to be better behaved is because they actually WANT to ride the bus, or HAVE to ride the bus to get to work, the grocery store, the movies, wherever.
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Since I do not drink by choice, I don't know if there is an unofficial "rule". Since alcohol is NOT illegal to consume, the best advice I can give is to use moderation. Bus drivers are subject to random alcohol and drug testing, so if you're concerned about it showing up, then the rule of thumb is not to do it.
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Good question. The fact of the matter is, "short buses" as you put them have special factory options installed. Often seatbelts, wheelchair tie downs, and wheelchair lifts. We have to make sure that all students, regardless of disability, have an equal opportunity to attend school. I don't know the reason why these buses are often shorter than regular education buses, however, I have a theory. Alot of times, these buses have to be small enough to be able to enter a persons driveway in order to pick up a student in need. A larger regular education bus is not designed for tight turns and pick up door to door. Students have to meet us at the street/central location to board the buses in those cases. Often special education buses have a driver and an aide on the bus to handle any problem that may come up, such as a student having a seizure or an autistic child having issues with noise. These buses are also often quieter than regular education buses which help a student who is autistic as they usually cannot handle loud noise like everyone else. Hope this helps.
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Some school bus drivers may be retired teachers. Generally speaking, no, teachers are not school bus drivers, but paraprofessionals may choose to work as bus drivers to supplement their income too. As for handling badly behaved students, our course of action can include many steps. First we will typically try to manage the behavior on the bus by changing the students seat or assigning seats. Then we try to contact the parents of the student in order to try to get the situation resolved. If that fails then we write the students up and turn them into the schools. From there, the administrators of the school can choose to further discipline the student by taking away bus riding privilege. We are not allowed to physically discipline students as far as laying a hand on a student though.
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For bathroom emergencies, it can be a tricky situation. In my district, it is left up to the bus driver's discretion. Usually if a route is short - the kids will be home within 1 hour - I usually tell the children to wait until they get home. Though there have been times where a route is longer, or the child is little (pre-k) in which case I'll stop at the bus shop, or at a school and get a teacher or older student (of same gender of child) to escort the child to the bathroom.
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Technically speaking, it is dangerous to brake check any vehicle because it will cause wear and tear on the vehicle. In addition, brake checking while one has children on board can put them in danger and cause unintended injuries. Sometimes I will demonstrate to children how fast a bus CAN stop because it helps them remember to stay in their seats, but over all I don't usually perform "brake checks".
On a legal standpoint, it is NOT illegal to do so, just unsafe.
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First off, a bus driver should not be laying hands or any part of body on a child unless it is necessary for intervention. For example, I had two 2nd thru 4th grade girls decide to get into it on the bus and both decided to swing punches. I stepped in the middle and separated both girls, took one gently by the wrist and moved her from the other girl and had a lady who was riding on the bus with me sit WITH the second girl in the same seat (with the girl near the window) until we got to the girls stop.
If in fact, this bus driver is displaying questionable behavior, you can request that the bus company pull the tape to address the problem. The bus company can view the tape and subsequently discipline the driver should there be an issue. That being said, it may be possible that the bus driver is assigning seats for each kid and it could be perhaps that your child does not like the new rule change. I've never heard of a driver that sits ON a child. Hope this helps.
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I can't say for sure the reason why the driver did not detour, however, maybe she was unfamiliar with the area, or perhaps she had been told not to deviate from the route. Sometimes there is no space for a bus to turn and detour and sometimes the detour areas only accommodate cars, and not buses.
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It varies from state to state, but in my district, the cameras are designed to keep running approximately 10 minutes after the bus has been turned off. This is for safety reasons for the driver and for the kids. It also provides enough time for the bus driver to walk the bus/sweep the bus at the end of the route. This also is proof that the driver is doing their job by walking the bus and prevents the driver from getting in a compromising situation should a student be found on the bus after the route and the bus has been shut off.
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Being shorthanded is a tough subject as many bus shops everywhere are short drivers. Typically though whether or not SPED buses have monitors on them is based by state. I would research the laws in Virginia and see if not having a monitor is illegal on your bus. If it is, then I would make efforts to report the activity to the appropriate authorities. If SPED buses are not required to have monitors on them, then my suggestion is to do the best you can with the resources you have.
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You said it yourself. You should not have been standing up in the first place. Did your bus driver warn you about standing up while the bus was moving? You also assume it was a brake check, but maybe he really did see an obstacle in the road that would have required quick decisive action. As for the legality of it, technically no. If the driver can be proved to have illegally "brake checked" the bus in order to get a student to sit down, then there can be trouble. That being said:
SIT DOWN!
As for your question - could it have waited until you got off at your stop? Could it have waited until the bus driver was NOT driving, but instead sitting at your school? Ask yourself these questions.
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Personally, I like assigning seats because then each child knows they have a place to sit. A downside to assigned seats is having random children that do not normally ride the route get on a bus with a pass because they are going home with a friend/cousin/to grandmas. In my experience as a substitute, the drivers who have assigned seats on their buses tend to have calmer buses overall. The kids are less likely to act up and the ones that try to are quickly ratted out by other students who enjoy following the rules. Bus drivers do have the right to assign seats, and if I am on a bus and experiencing problems, I will assign seats to the children the day that I drive. It can cause problems with parents, but if I know where their kid sits, there is no fighting whether their kid misbehaved because their child sits in the same seat every day.
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Well first, you did a good thing by calling the secretary of your school. The thing I would recommend would be calling the bus shop secretary and see if it has been turned in there. If the bus is the same, then you can look in the seat you were sitting in, and hopefully the game will still be there. However, a likely outcome is that someone else picked up your video game and has not turned it in. I'm sad to say that many students are not honest and you have probably lost the game. I hope you are able to recover it and get it back. Good luck!
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Honestly, if anything, I feel that the bullying problem seems to have gotten worse or at least more apparent. There are alot of anti-bullying media campaigns out there because there is an increased awareness of the problem. The issue now is more the bullies who blatantly bully in plain sight. Bullying can take many forms, some obvious, and some very subtle. The thing that has to happen in order for the bullying problem to decrease is for the consequence for bullying be something that the bullies actively dislike. If they don't like the consequence, they will not bully as much. The problem we have in school is that the consequences really have no effect on students that bully. For a student who is a good student, rarely gets into trouble, a lunch detention or losing their recess is a big thing and enough of a deterrent to have them avoid getting into trouble because that student's parents are often active within the school and actively take part in their child's education. If that student faces a consequence for misbehavior at school, it is likely that the same student will face similar consequences at home to show the student that the behavior in question will not be tolerated. A bully or someone who is constantly in trouble for other reasons, really doesn't care much about the school consequence because when they get home, the parents may be absent or simply not care to follow it up at home.
Thats not to say that there are exceptions to that assumption, but those children who lack discipline at home will invariably be in trouble at school for misbehavior. Some parents believe it is the school systems job to raise their child to be an upstanding citizen.
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I don't know if it is against the law per-say, however there have been a few times where I have needed to use a restroom. The ideal location would be on school property where I could run in and out really quickly. The main concern when a bus driver needs to use the restroom is the supervision of the children on the bus. In the cases that I needed to use a bathroom, I asked a fellow bus driver or an administrator to watch the bus while I ran inside to the school to use the bathroom. In all instances, the time spent off the bus was less than 5 minutes, just long enough to relieve myself.
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Hiyas Rootin!
I don't mind when talkitive children sit closer to the front and ask me questions. Sometimes, it can get a bit annoying especially when I'm trying to pay attention to driving in stressful situations, but usually a simple, "Please be quiet for a few minutes, kiddo." usually helps and then the kid does not feel like I am ignoring them. I have many kids ask me if they can open the manual door when we are at a stop. I usually tell them that I will let them open the door at their stops. Some of the older students like to sit up front and chat with me and often will tell me things that are annoying them or upsetting them and ask me for advice.
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If the bus is 30 feet from the intersection, then yes, you can continue travelling on the perpendicular road, however if the bus is closer than that and is clearly letting kids disembark from the bus, its better to be safe and stop than sorry because you ran over a child and were not looking. Children are unpredictable and at any point can go a direction one least expects, including darting back across the street to the bus for a forgotten item.
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Good question Haleigh!
That is really a question that is only answered depending on the district your school is in. Typically speaking though, if the bus services the school, then yes, we normally let children ride in the mornings. We know that sometimes kids end up staying with grandma, or over at a friends house, and usually try to accommodate that situation. If the bus has to go out of district to deliver you to school, then we do have a right to refuse bus service for that reason. Often if a bus driver is faced with an unknown face at a bus stop, either the child has a note written by a parent to present to the bus driver, or the bus driver will radio the bus shop to get clearance. Most of the time we are able to help you out.
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Well obviously, we don't do this job for the money by any means! Most people drive the bus to get the insurance. In my district we usually drive from 5 am to 8 am and then from 2:30 pm to 5 pm. Unfortunately not a lot of workplaces care to hire someone from 8-2 ish. I marketed myself for weekends as well, and it was hard to find a second job. Ideally a job working at a doctor office or lawyers office part time between bus routes would be perfect for someone to go to, if the employers would work with the bus needs. I make extra money by volunteering to take field trips. I also got a job as a transit bus driver for nights and weekends which allowed me to expand my client base from just children. Good luck!
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No, that is illegal to do. I will air out my bus without students on it by utilizing the door, but I will never open the door while the bus is moving and in gear with students on it.
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Sometimes situations happen when a parent is not home to receive their child. We typically instruct the child to knock on the door to try to find out if someone is home. If the child cannot get someone to the door, I will usually send an older student to try to knock harder on the door because little fists don't knock very loudly. Failing that, we will radio in to the bus yard in order to try to get a parent on the phone while we finish the route, drop all other students off and then radio back to the bus yard for advice on how to proceed. If the student's parents are still not home, I will walk to the front door and knock, but I will not open it or enter a stranger's home. In cases where the parents are constantly absent from the bus stop, we will actually take the children up to the police station because of the lack of parental supervision for the child.
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This is a good question, and definitely one I will probably co-post on my blog. Things I recommend for bus drivers to have on hand:
Kleenex - You can never have too many Kleenex. Kids are always asking for a tissue.
Paper towels - Not to be confused with Kleenex, paper towels are always handy for cleaning up spills and other larger messes such as when rain comes in the leaky roof of a bus.
Hand sanitizer - more for yourself than the kids, but some drivers keep it handy for the kids as well.
Baby wipes - If you prefer baby wipes to hand sanitizer, these can serve double duty as cleansing items for the seats and surrounding areas.
Cleaning supplies - most bus barns will provide cleaning supplies for a driver to maintain general cleanliness of their bus. This includes windex, lysol, and other antibacterial agents for cleaning the bus.
Puke powder - yes the name sounds awful but it is essential for that child that you will eventually have that vomits everywhere.
Trashcans and trash bags - again self explanatory, but if you promote a clean bus, most of the trash the children will make will find its way into the can.
Broom - A strong and sturdy broom to reach those hard to get areas, brooms also aid in killing random bugs and other pests that find their way into your bus.
Log book/folder - Your bus barn is going to ask you to handle paperwork, it is handy to have a folder to use to keep all paperwork in. It also helps to keep a current copy of your CPR certification on hand.
Bus roster - This is majorly important if you are in an accident or if a child needs to contact their parents for whatever reason. You need to know who is on your bus at any given time. This goes for bus passes too - I usually keep those for about 2 weeks, then toss them. Things in a bus roster should include the following: Name of the student, Grade/School, Address, Emergency and Parent numbers, and any allergies or special conditions one should be aware about. Your bus barn should provide a form for children and parents to fill out and return to you.
Route description - make sure a route description is handy on your bus for those inevitable days that you are going to be sick. A route description is a lifesaver for sub drivers who do not know your kids. Also, make sure a roster is attached to each route description so that the sub driver can have it available immediately in the case of an emergency.
Bus seating chart - It may be a good idea for you to assign your passengers seats. The seat assignments are also helpful for identifying problem passengers.
Clearly posted rules - these can help students realize what rules they are supposed to follow on the bus. I recommend going over the rules with each group of kids that enter your bus.
Citation/write-up folder - make sure you have a folder full of blank citation/write-up sheets. Explain to students that if they do not follow the rules they are going to get a verbal warning from you, you will talk to their parents, and then if they persist, you will write them up and turn them into the school. Explain that there are consequences for receiving a write-up such as a change in assigned seat to one of the front seats (or a least desireable location). I know of one bus driver that had all of her children sitting up front and left the back of the bus as no-mans-land. There were at least 6 seats between the last group of students and the very back of the bus. A misbehaving child was sent to sit in the last seat by himself, which wasn't viewed as a reward as there was noone around him to help him disobey.
Offer little treats and incentives - Maybe you could develop a positive behavior system on your bus. Some bus drivers use gum as an incentive, or lollypops. If the children behave (for the most part) all week, they get a treat on Fridays. You may want to have them work towards a pizza party or an icecream treat. When I drove for an after school program, I brought things like cupcakes, and on the last day of after school, I brought ice pops since it was so hot out. The kids will appreciate these little treats.
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We need to have rosters on our bus. If we are ever in an accident or the police come on our bus, we have to be able to give them an accurate roster of who is on the bus at any given time. Obviously, the system isn't perfect because there are several children on a bus at any given time, but its important for us to have your childs name, address, phone numbers of both parents, emergency phone numbers, and any allergies or medical conditions such as Asthma or ADHD that we need to be aware of.
I promise you, we are not casing your house or your child, but it helps the school keep track of which kids are supposed to ride buses home or getting picked up. Some kids also only ride the bus in the mornings or in the afternoons. It helps us keep track of how many kids are on the bus.
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The bright flashing lights are known as strobe lights and they are on the roof of the bus for visibility reasons. Just like a garbage truck or a street cleaner or a snow plow will have flashing lights on it, a school bus is something that requires lots of visibility due to the precious cargo we transport every day. Our student lights will flash amber/yellow and red and our stop signs will come out and flash. Some newer models have included strobe lights in the stop sign to increase visibility to distracted drivers. If the light is low level or there is heavy fog, snow, or rain, the strobe light allows drivers to spot our vehicles from several feet and allow other drivers to take necessary precautions when driving in those conditions.
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Hi T-Dog,
There are various reasons why kids get written up on the school bus, and what happens to them depends on what they did. For a student who disrespected the bus driver, the consequence might be a warning the first time, then subsequent suspensions ranging anywhere from 1-10 days depending on the number of other write-ups the student has received. But, for a student who may have been physically fighting on the bus, the school may opt to jump over the "warning" stage and simply go right to suspension.
In my district, the general progression of write-ups is warning, 1-3 days off, 3-5 days off, 5-7 days off, 10 days off, then permanently off for the rest of the semester/year.
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That would be a question for an auto mechanic. Unfortunately I am a bus driver, but there happens to be an auto mechanic on jobstr. Hope you get an answer.
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"w. dog" - First I am not sure what you're asking because I actually read english and write in english. Second, please feel free to resubmit your question using proper english sentences.
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I had to look up what dual tier vs. single tier is first. If I understand it correctly, dual tier is when school bus routes are split by grade level, for example: 1 elementary run, 1 middle school run, and 1 high school run. There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. I grew up in a multi-tier system whereas when I moved and became a bus driver myself, it is now single tier. I suppose the district is trying to save money and time by consolidating all the dual routes into single routes. As for them not wanting to pay insurance for their employees, that is a different beast all together. I don't see the change from dual to single backfiring, but I do see a lot of backlash over the health insurance issue, especially if you live in a state like mine which does not offer expanded medicaid under the new "Obamacare" health fiasco. Lots of businesses are looking for ways to cut corners thanks to the aforementioned three ring circus in DC.
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First off - is the dirt road a dead end road? Secondly - is the dirt road a road that gets a significant amount of traffic? I ask these questions because dirt roads can vary. If there is not alot of traffic going down your particular dirt road, then a sidewalk is not really needed or necessary. It won't kill kids to walk a little bit. (For my readers, 200 yards is about 2 football fields long.) Unless your child is in 1st grade or younger, then there is really no reason why they couldn't walk a little bit. Chances are good the only folks who will be coming down your dirt road will be neighbors who live nearby and you likely let them walk over to the neighbors house. Additionally, if the road is a dead end (as many dirt roads are), there may not be a place for a school bus to turn around. If you are still concerned, you can always meet the bus in your vehicle in order to collect your children.
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If we are driving an older model bus with manually operated doors (the handle has to be lifted and pushed out in order for us to open the door for passengers), we simply shut the door from the outside taking care not to push it too hard to latch. If it latches, fear not, we climb in the back door (which is usually unlocked) and let ourselves into the bus that way. For newer models of buses that have air operated doors, there is a switch that is located above the door labled "emergency release." We flip this switch (on the inside) into the open position and it releases all the air holding the doors closed. We can then push the doors open and then shut them after we get off the bus.
Some drivers have to be careful because their buses will have air leaks which makes it easy to exit the bus for a period of time - opening the door by the air switch, but then when the driver returns, starts the bus, and flips the switch, the air pressure takes time to rebuild. Those drivers will often find themselves summarily accidentally "locked" out when the doors regain pressure and close on the drivers if they are outside the bus when this occurs. In some fleets, the doors are operated by a key accessed panel outside the door which allows the driver to open and close the door from the outside of the bus using key access.
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Sadly, students in general tend to have a nice side and a mean side. Its part of human nature for some people. The thing is that some people need to be told that their mean side is not something that should be tolerated or encouraged. If you feel strongly about this, stand up for yourself and the bus driver. Maybe hearing from a peer that their words/actions are mean might get them to think twice.
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Yes, many bus drivers choose to separate children by gender, sometimes they put boys on one side and girls on the other, and others will put one gender in the back and the other in the front. The fact that the boys are 3 to a seat is an unfortunate circumstance of your gender on that bus. There is one bus in my district who has twice as many girls as boys, and the bus is separated by gender, so the girls have to sit three to a seat while the boys have alot more space on their side. Could the bus driver even it out a little bit by allowing students to sit in certain seats or reassigning certain areas of the bus - yes, but sometimes its just not practical, or other schools fill in the empty areas. If any girls are sitting only one to a seat then I could see where you have an issue, but if the driver is making an effort to try to divide it somewhat evenly to give everyone a place to sit, then you don't have much of a choice.
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Hello - I deleted your duplicate question in favor of answering here. If you have been threatened, or feel that you have been threatened by someone, go directly to the bus driver, teacher, administrator, parent, anyone who will listen to keep you safe. On my bus, bullying is not tolerated and it will be handled. If you don't get someone to listen, keep telling them until something is done.
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First, congratulations! Secondly, best advice I can give is practice. Find an empty parking-lot and see if you can borrow an empty bus to practice pulling between the lines. Play around with the bus a little bit to see how it handles and see how the back wheels turn in conjunction with the front ones. When making any frontward right or left hand turn, you typically swing a bit wide (wider for right hand turns in general) due to the tail swing and rear wheels of the bus and to avoid the curb. When backing into a lane watch your rear wheels through your side rear view mirrors. If you are backing on the right, use the mirrors closest to the student door. If to the left, use the mirrors just outside your drivers side window. One of the mirrors should be trained on the "blindspot" by the rear wheels. Identify the wheels in the mirror and pretend that the wheel is on a dime at the edge of the corner. You want to make the wheel stay still while backing left or right. Think about how you back your car into a parking space and apply the same principle. As you are backing, keep an eye on your front nose so that it does not hit anything. A good judge of the front nose would be the cross mirrors in the front of the bus.
Finally, get a trusted friend to help you identify the dimensions of your bus by standing at the rear bumper as you sit in the drivers seat. Have them stand at all 4 corners of the bus and at the center in back and center in front as you check your mirrors. Also have them stand at the rear wheels so you can identify them visually. This will help you visualize your bus all around. Good luck!
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We try our best to stop bullying period. Sometimes even all we do cannot prevent bullying completely. Some kids just end up being victims of these circumstances. Some of the ways we can help stop bullying or at least preventing the situation on the bus would be moving the bullies to areas of the bus where the camera can pick up their actions and voices should the behavior be both physical and verbal. Secondly, we remove the victim from the vicintity of the bully. For example, I would have the bully sit in seat 2 or 3 where I can hear them, and have the victim sit in seat 11 or 12, far enough away from the bully.
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Usually a simple note from your doctor clearing you to drive and handle a bus full of kids is sufficient enough to pass the bus driver physical. New state and federal laws require some drivers to provide a list of their medications at the bus driver physical. Chatham county in Georgia uses First Student - so you may want to look into that company. Good luck!
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Very carefully. Most intersections are wide enough for us to make a turn the way we need to, sometimes though, we may have to wait until the light cycles and the intersection clears. More often than not, if it is safe enough and we do not have the turning radius needed, we will jump the curb in order to keep hitting other vehicles.
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Denise - I simply did a google search, and that was one of the images I found. So, I simply used it for this profile. Therefore since it is public property, it is not mine to give away, but since it is very common to find in general, I don't think you'll run into copyright laws. Can I get a sweatshirt? ;)
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General friendliness. We are a special breed and we will often wave at each other just acknowledging each other. No other reason than we just are friendly.
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All the time in my case. Some bus yards require bus drivers to be there a full day, but in my case, we work from 5:30 am to 8 am and then again from 2:30 pm to 5 pm ish. Obviously the times vary for each bus driver depending on their route, location, and number of children.
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Awesome - You can email me at busdriverquestions@gmail.com :)
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I would report it to the bus driver himself. He may want to be aware of what these students are saying to at least watch out for other students on the bus. If you are uncomfortable with that, then you could report it to a school administrator who could bring it to the bus driver's attention.
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You can ask the driver if they saw the object in question, if they have, they likely turned it into the bus shop or schools, in which case your parents would need to call up to claim it on your behalf. If its money, its likely gone. Unfortunately other students are not so honest.
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First, I'd be questioning his judgement for having alcohol knowing full well he is going to drive childen later. As far as the police are concerned, if the police have reason to believe he is under the influence or a parent has called it in reporting him to be under the influence, they can subject him to a random drug screen and a breathalyzer. I'm not sure about the BAC level as I am not a police officer nor do I drink.
Second, my policy is to avoid alcohol in any situation where I might need to be in full control of myself especially when driving children. I would not knowingly put my children at risk. If this individual is consuming alcohol and then driving children, he is essentially playing with fire because while with some professions alcohol may be accepted, when driving a school bus, it is likely not accepted.
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No idea honestly, though a few of my friends offer bus cleaning services, inside and outside and charge approximately 50 dollars per bus. They aren't a professional cleaning service and are just looking to make a little money on the side. Personally, I pay for them to clean my bus because it is worth the 50 dollars to me. Theres alot of nooks and crannies on a bus that need to be cleaned as well as with newer buses, the holes in the ceiling can't get wet, so its easier to pay someone to do it.
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The button on the back wall of the bus is part of the child check safety system. Essentially whenever a bus driver returns to the bus yard or his/her home after a run where he/she has picked up students, they are supposed to do a walk through of the bus in order to ensure all students are off the bus. Newer buses require us to press the button at the back of the bus in order to stop or prevent an alarm from sounding (usually a beeping noise or the sound of the bus horn) before opening the door and exiting the bus. Failure to press the button and exiting the bus is much like breaking into a car with a car alarm. The alarm sounds and the driver is forced to walk to the back of the bus to shut it off.
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That would be left up to the district you want to work for. Many of our drivers are semi-retired and still work a full time shift. The money is low, but its an easy job. That would also be something you would have to take up with the social security office. Good luck.
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Buses are equipped with an emergency or parking brake, but it can be very dangerous to pull this brake while the bus is moving as it will cause the bus to jerk to a stop and can cause an accident if used improperly. In the case of an emergency and the bus is simply rolling low speed (under 5 mph) then the emergency brake button can be pulled in order to stop the bus. It looks like this: http://www.apartswarehouse.com/Images/Products/298818-s.JPG
In the case where the driver becomes incapacitated at any time while the bus is moving at speeds greater than 5 mph, you can instruct students to put the gear shift in neutral which will stop the motor from propelling the wheels. Then instruct the student to keep a steady hand on the steering wheel guiding it to the side of the road. Once the bus has rolled to a stop or has dropped below 5 mph, then the student can pull the parking brake to stop the bus completely. I would not advise a student to cut off the bus engine using the keys until the bus has come to a near complete stop as the power going to the steering wheel will stop if the student cuts off the power too soon. That can make the bus hard to maneuver in an emergency.
Most bus companies have CB radios to use in the case of an emergency. Instruct students on how to access the radio and how to call for help in an emergency.
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That would depend on your school district if they run late buses. When I was in high school, we had 2 late buses that would serve the north and south side of town. The idea was to get the riders of the late bus within reasonable walking distance of home (Sometimes up to 2 miles) My late bus stop was about 3/4 of a mile from my house and a half mile from my regular stop. I would suggest calling your local bus company and asking them if they have a late bus.
If the bus is your only means of transportation, then I would recommend going to the teacher and explaining your situation respectfully. They may be able to work something else out for you (lunch tutoring or lunch detention) in order to accommodate you. Good luck!
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Its a matter of using the mirrors to line your bus up with the other two buses. Keeping it in line with the other two buses, back up slowly until your bus nose is in line with the other busses. It is fairly simple to do once you get a handle on how your bus turns and backs. If you are unsure, I recommend going to a parking lot with white lines painted on the pavement. Attempt to back your bus keeping it centered betweeen the two lines. Once you can do that without running over the lines, backing your bus is a cinch.
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Andrea - Unfortunately, yes, a bus can tip over, but most accidents where the buses have tipped over are due to driver overcorrection, or outside force on the bus making it flip on its side. Generally speaking though, buses are safe to ride in and if you have a problem, please feel free to address it with the driver of the bus. The driver can reassure you and give you fair warning if he is going to do something unexpected like back the bus up or turn it around in a tight area.
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Hi Alec!
First off - if you notice that the heater in the back is blowing, please let the bus driver know. Their arm may have inadvertently hit the button on the control panel which controls the heat blower. Secondly, most of the time if a driver gets too hot they turn the heat off under the hood or up in the drivers compartment by flipping a lever to stop the heat flow. Third, when you put 40-60 bodies in a small area, its going to be a little hot and uncomfortable. If the driver has air conditioning, they will put it on, but if there is no air conditioning, simply open a few windows on each side all the way down both sides of the bus and there will be a cross breeze that comes through which will cool off some of the interior of the bus.
There may be other reasons why the heat is needed on certain days, but most of that is due to the defrosting of the windshields and visibility. Bottom line is - if you're hot, let the bus driver know so they can adjust accordingly. If they don't, then simply relocate your seat away from the seats where the heaters are.
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In that case, then I would turn the bus off. I was just stating that some buses require the bus to be started and running or the key to be turned in the on position to allow power to flow to the lift. Some lifts will not operate without the parking brake being engaged either on some of the smaller "transit" type buses. I would double check your company policy on this issue though.
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Get a bus pass from the office. You need to bring a signed note from your parent or guardian to the office and they will issue you a bus pass (usually only good for one day). Trying to skip around on buses is not advised and in some districts can get you removed from riding the bus.
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Depends on the reason for writing the name down. Sometimes I may ask a child for their name and write it down as a note to myself to let the office know I have them still on the bus if they missed their stop. Sometimes, it may be that we need their name to look up their address in the computer system, or find a working parent/guardian number to contact. Finally, I may write a child's name down in order to write them up for misbehavior. Not everything leads to misbehavior and a citation, but for other reasons.
When I had an after school route - I had my students names on one sheet as well as their stops listed, in order of drop off. When they got on the bus, I would ask their name (if I hadn't already learned it) and would check off that they were on the bus. It helped me keep track of the number of students who rode and which way I needed to drive in order to drop them off efficiently and quickly.
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It depends on your individual district. Some districts forbid taking a bus to a personal residence and others allow for the drivers to take their buses home. In my experience, the bus drivers are allowed to take their buses home, but if their buses are needed for inspection or whatever, then we have to find a ride home, or take a spare home until we get our regular buses back.
Personally, I don't take my bus home because I simply have no place to park the vehicle. Of course, the stipulations are that if they give you the privilege of taking the bus home, that you will not abuse that privilege and make sure that you do not use the bus for personal reasons like grocery shopping etc. Additionally, you agree to keep it safe from vandals, and to ensure that just like your regular car that you make sure you secure it.
Even though I don't take my bus home, I would need to clear it occasionally with my supervisor for me to take my bus to my second job since it usually started right after my bus driving job. After I got off for a break, I would run the bus back to the shop, secure the gate, and get my own personal vehicle.
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In order for the lift to operate, there has to be some power to the bus. I do not know if the bus just needs to be in the "on" position or fully running for the lift to work, but usually since on special needs buses there is more than one person on the bus (driver and aide) it is usually safe to leave the bus running while picking up and dropping off a student since there are several adults around to handle situations.
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As far as I know there is no law that requires that to happen, however, each district has its own policies on how routes are set up and run. Sometimes the bus shop dictates how a route goes and other times it is up to the drivers discretion. Personally, I believe that every few years routes need to be revamped and revised and it is best left up to the bus drivers who are driving the routes. The drivers know the number of students that are at each stop and can better determine if a route has a more logical way of being done.
Here in my county, due to some of the distance, the first ones on are often the last ones off as the afternoon route is run backwards from the morning route. For my own route, prior to going to a double run, I ran my route one way and the afternoon route was identical to the morning route. Now, since I have 78 kids listed on my roster and only a 72 passenger bus, mornings have stayed the same as I have less kids in the morning than in the afternoon, but my afternoon run has been split 2 ways. I still get done at the same time every day, but some of my kids who had been getting home at about 3:45 are now only getting home at 4 pm, and those of my kids who were getting off at 4:10 pm are now getting off at 3:40 pm because of the logistical change.
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I'm not sure what you are asking with this question. Please resubmit your question.
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In my district, special needs buses have to have two people on board, the driver and the aide. I was speaking only from personal experience. I've also had other bus drivers help me and I help them as well on checking the reverse and rear lights. Here in my district, we do not get off our buses to walk students into school. The only time we are to be off our buses with students on board is to operate the lift. Thats why special needs buses will have an aide and a driver on board in order to help manage the situation.
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Its fairly easy once you get the hang of it. For a regular driver, the route does not usually change day-to-day with the exception of when the driver gets new kids on the route or kids move off the route making it unnecessary to drive into a certain section of their designated route boundary area. An example of this is if you have a child who lives at the end of a long dead end road who doesn't ride anymore, then the route would change in that you would not go down that road in the future. As a substitute, there are route descriptions that most bus shops will provide their drivers so that they may be able to follow it in order to pick up or drop off students.
I found as a sub, the easiest way to learn a route and remember it was to have a child tell you how the route runs. You eventually learn the stops on each bus route and create a mental map in your head.
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Well if you like to cut hair then of course you can make a living doing that. All kidding aside, driving a bus depends on your area. In my area, the pay is low, so many drivers supplement their pay with other jobs between driving the bus. Most people get the bus driving job in order to get reliable health insurance.
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Depends on what you did and how the school handles the disciplinary form. If you talk with the bus driver respectfully and ask the driver what you can do to avoid getting in trouble then you may be able to avoid the situation and fix it.
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I am not sure if there are particular state or county laws where you live that govern the height of a window on a bus that is down. I suggest you check with your CDL trainer and boss at your bus shop yard. They can better advise you. My personal policy is to let the children let down the windows if they are hot. If the windows are not down, it is the children's personal choice not to let the windows down. If I have little ones, I have an older child help put those windows down in order to make the little ones more comfortable.
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If the buses are equipped with seatbelts and the children can fasten them themselves, then we make them fasten their seatbelt. If they need help, we help them. We do adjust according to child size and needs. If in fact the belt is too tight, then you can probably speak to her supervisor, but chances are probably good that the seatbelts are properly adjusted so that the children cannot turn around in the seat or sit sideways. Similar to how a car is set up. Many buses have simple lap belts but more buses are going to the 3 point shoulder harness model similar to what you see in todays standard automobiles. Those, like the seatbelts in a car, are automatically adjusted. If the belts are leaving marks on your children then they are too tight, however, consider this... if the bus is in a roll over accident... would you rather your children slip out of an improperly adjusted belt and snap their necks or be fully secured to the seat minimizing injury.
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Tough questions. Legally, if a child is having an issue such as an allergic reaction and the child has an epi-pen on themselves, we are trained to help the child administer the epi-pen to themselves (in the form of putting their hand around the epi-pen and guiding it to the right spot so that the medicine is delivered appropriately). That being said, if your child has a severe enough allergy that the bus driver is simply not comfortable with handling it (as can be the case with severe bee sting or peanut allergies) the driver does have the discretion to advise you to seek other types of transportation. They can go to their supervisors and try to work with you to find alternate modes of transportation for your child. It may be that the child needs to be on a special education bus. As it is, I have a child who is a diabetic on my bus (also a very common issue) and I am in the process of speaking to qualified nurses and doctors on the best way to help this child should their sugar drop. I advise you to take it to the bus garage and see what they say.
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Dear Frustrated,
I'm sorry to read that you are having difficulties with your son on the bus. Seven is a challenging age because their attention span has not developed fully and they can be a little rowdy without intentionally misbehaving. First, I would identify the behavior that is being mentioned. Second, ask if the principal has seen a video tape of the bus ride. More often, if there is a miss communication, a video tape can speak volumes as to the actual situation. Third, identify positive behavior rewards for your son. (Example to follow) Fourth, speak with the bus driver directly. Ask if there is a seating arrangement that might put your son in the direct line of sight of the bus driver but close enough to the front so that your son might feel he needs to behave. Implement identified rewards both at home AND on the bus for positive bus behavior. Finally, talk to your son and listen to what he has to say about the situation. He may have a different perspective.
Example: I have 4 pre-k kids on the bus this year and I bought coloring books, crayons, and coloring tablets (plastic clipboard things). Every day they get on the bus in the afternoons (mornings aren't an issue as they are quiet and usually sleepy) they get their choice of coloring pages and crayons. It keeps them busy and occupied while they are riding the bus. When they get off the bus, if they have sat and behaved, they get a sticker. Some of my older kids love the coloring pages too and ask for them. Maybe something like this might help your son to behave. I also allow electronic devices on my bus so ipods, cell phones, pocket games. It keeps my kids occupied so that I don't have to get onto them as much.
I hope this helps. Good luck and feel free to email me at busdriverquestions@gmail.com with a followup.
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Don't worry too much about the hearing and vision testing. If you wear glasses regularly to drive, just wear those. I wear glasses all the time and so do several of my friends who are bus drivers. Also the test is only as hard as you make it. Study up and you should pass it no problem. Good luck!
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That is true, you shouldnt put the bus in reverse and get out and walk behind. If you have an aide, have them walk behind the bus while you control the bus in order to test the back up lights. If you're alone, then I would either ask one of my co-workers to check or get a pvc pipe so that you can wedge it between the seat and brake pedal (with the parking brake set of course) and instead of getting out of the bus you can simply walk down the aisle inside the bus and peek out the back door to see if the lights seem to be functioning properly. I would not do what your boss is suggesting as that puts yours and others safety at risk.
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All of my kids know to sit properly in their seats. If one decides to go under the seat they get a front seat for a period of time until they learn that they must sit down properly. If your driver is allowing it, you should report it to the principal of your school or the transportation department for the safety of the other students on the bus.
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In my particular area, whether a parent views a surveillance tape is left up to the school. Due to legalities involved in the privacy of other children on the bus, my workplace does not allow parents to view videotapes, but if individual schools make that choice, then that is on those schools. As inevitably happens with kids on the bus, if a parent views the tape, they tend to focus on children other than their own. This is why we choose not to let parents view the videotapes. You are more than welcome to ask, the worst they can say is no.
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I was actually between 24 and 25 when I started driving a bus. Just be consistent with the kids. Try to remember that they will be kids. They will turn around and kneel up and probably not sit down so that you feel like a broken record when you drive, but eventually they will learn to respect you and the way you do things if you are consistent and fair. If you expect one thing from one kid make sure that you expect the same from the other kids. In other words, its not fair if you are constantly telling one child to sit more than the others, or are singling that child out for the front seat.
Another thing, learn to let things go. You will have bad days and days where you want to pull your hair out, but the important thing is to remember not to let it get to you. If it is getting to you, make a positive change. Take a half day off and allow yourself to clear your mind. Finally, unless there is blood shed, its best to handle things diplomatically working your way up the ladder discipline wise. In example, start with the kids, relocate them to certain seats. Then move up to contacting parents, and finally contact of school administrators. My simple rules are as follows - Inside voices, quiet at the railroad, stay in your seat, no eating (water is okay), no fighting/bullying/watch your language. Some days they can be rowdy, but they listen, and respect my rules.
Good luck!
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The camera will roll anywhere from 5-15 minutes after the bus is shut down, and then the camera will stop rolling.
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That depends on the situation at hand. As a rule of thumb, I don't put my hands on any of the children on my bus because of the liability issues surrounding that. If a child offers a hug, I will sideways hug or simply reach my hand up and pat them on the side of the head ensuring that minimal body contact happens. That being said, if there is a safety issue and the children are at risk of being injured or killed (an example of this would be if a vehicle is choosing to ignore our stop signs and warning lights for loading and unloading children) I will put my arm out to stop a child or pull them back from harms way. Not in any malicious intent, but only to watch out for their well being.
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If she is texting and driving and being unsafe on the bus, you do need to report it. If she threatens you with a write up if you do report it, then she needs to be reported. You shouldn't be worried about retaliation from the school for reporting her unprofessional behavior.
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You can call the individual bus yard for your school district to check to see what the policy is on stops. I will usually make a stop in front of a child's house with the exception of a few of my stops. One stop is down at a dead end and there is no turn around spot for me, so the children have to meet me at the nearest intersection. The other few times is during my first run, I give certain older kids the opportunity to get off at a stop and walk to their homes, though on the second round I often pass by their homes directly.
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Depending on your district will depend on the procedure for applying for a job. In my district, applicants submit their applications to the local board of education. The process begins there. I suggest you go to your local board of education. They will be able to give you the necessary direction in which to go to apply to be a bus driver or monitor.
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I'm not sure what an OBI is exactly. Assuming it is similar to a driver trainer, if a driver has their temporary CDL-B license, then I would think it would be illegal for them to drive a bus without someone who is a certified trainer.
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Hi Carter,
Technically, no, the bus driver cannot take a kid to the bus parking area to help clean up unless there was a good reason and it was previously approved by the school and the parents. That situation would be if the kid had vandalized the seats or bus in any way and was cleaning the bus instead of having his/her parents pay for the damage. As far as getting the same bus and route your driver is currently on, depending on your area bus shop will depend on how they run things. Where I live, all the drivers keep their same routes and buses unless new buses come in and those are given out yearly. In other areas, the drivers have to bid on the routes and buses they use. It really depends on where you live. Also buses are typically put out of service after a certain mileage for the safety of the students.
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It is probable, but most drivers know the dimensions of their buses really well. Occasionally some have clipped stop signs or other road signs, and still a few have inadvertently backed into trees, but because it was at such a low speed there was not a definite "impact" other than a scraping sound down the side of the bus. There have been times where I have backed into fences or run over fences and not realized it until daylight. We had a driver who hit a couple mailboxes the other day, but the wood around the mailboxes was so rotten that any good gust of wind probably would have blown it over. We're human and make mistakes. The important thing is not to dwell on these mistakes and just move on.
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Short answer - no. Long answer - yes with a but. If the parent is causing the conflict or there is an imminent danger to children the bus driver has a duty to call back up to help solve any major conflict. If the parent is looking to help a bus driver who has been assaulted, then okay but as long as it is not a revenge tactic. If its an emergency such as the child is choking or otherwise injured, then exceptions to that rule is warranted.
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First off, the child is 5 years old and has been walking 5 blocks all this time and you didn't think to question it until now in the middle of winter? Secondly routes are usually set by the individual bus company. As far as legality, our state suggestion is that students bus stops can be anywhere from a quarter to a full mile length from their homes or closer if necessary. Sometimes though adjustments to the routes must be made to accommodate road closures.
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Yes. In my district we have to pass a yearly physical by a DOT certified doctor. They aren't anything too bad, mostly just a general physical and then questions about history and medications. The DOT is cracking down on people with CDL licenses (both Class A and B) and are requiring some drivers to go through additional testing. This may be anything from an extra eye exam if you wear glasses to a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea.
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There are many ways of starting out in a bus company and being a monitor is a good way to decide if you like the job before you decide to go to the training to become a bus driver. Since becoming a bus driver requires a CDL-B license, many bus companies offer training and assistance with getting the license, though much of the responsibility falls on you as the trainee. In this way, just being a monitor for several years does not qualify you to "move up" to be a bus driver as the requirements for the position vary. However, if you want to start as a monitor and get your CDL license, then I am sure any bus shop would love to have you on as an employee.
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Not sure about homeland security, but often bus companies will forbid drivers to take their buses home as a measure of protection for the vehicles. If there was vandalism in the last few years or issues regarding misuse of buses such as people using them for personal errands wasting the fuel paid for by the city/county, then the bus company has a right to protect their investment. Buses are not cheap! Most drivers do take their buses home because it saves on fuel expense if they live on the route directly.
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I'm not really sure exactly. I know on smaller buses (20 passenger) the driver has a door on both theirs and passengers sides because of the design of the bus. For larger buses, its only feasible to have a door on one side for all entering and exiting the bus. Interesting fun fact, that in any accident, the drivers side window and both front windows (as well as most any other window in the bus) can be kicked out to aid in evacuation procedures if such procedures are warranted)* * I don't advise you getting on a random bus and kicking out the windows without a warranted cause. That may get you arrested and charged with vandalism. Plus the other folks look at you like you are crazy.
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If you lied on your application (or stretched the truth) they will still be able to see it on your DMV record if it was recorded on your license. Depending on who was at fault will determine whether they will hire you or not. If you were not up front and honest with them in the first place, they probably won't hire you. Had you spoken to the transportation director and explained that the wreck you were in was a few years ago and gave them details, then they might be willing to work with you. Good luck.
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I don't know if there is a law or not. Most, if not all, school buses come equipped with heaters. Not every bus has an air conditioner, but a heater is fairly standard. Occasionally, as with other mechanical items on a bus, the heater may break down. This is usually unexpected and not preventable. It makes for a very cold bus ride in the mornings during the winter months if a heater breaks. Most of the time its fixable or if it needs further service, the bus companies will often swap buses out for a fully functioning bus. Also, as I told the kids who got on my bus in short sleeves and shivering this morning while holding their jacket in their arms... a jacket works better when its ON!
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Did you apologize for throwing something? If so, its likely the driver probably accepted your apology, no harm no foul. If he said he was going to write you up, then you will have to accept the consequences that the school gives you for throwing something you shouldn't have. If you want to really impress the bus driver and let him know you are really sorry for what you did, you can simply write him an apology letter and hand it to him tomorrow when you board the bus. If you don't feel like writing an apology, then simply saying you're sorry to the bus driver will make all the difference in the world. My bus kids know that its easier to be up front and honest with me and that its likely they will only get a verbal warning for their behavior. Good luck.
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Let them choose their seats, if there is a problem with them, then assign specific ones seats closer to the front where you can manage them. You'll find that several of the kids will sit with the same people every day and that they will usually have a preferred area of the bus. I have elementary, middle, and highschool on my bus so I separate the bus by sections. It gives the kids autonomy of choice when deciding where to sit. Alternately you could ask them to decide amongst themselves where they are going to sit, or at the very least whom they would like to sit near/next to. In that case, I would hand out index cards and then once names are written on each card, hand one student tape to put the name cards above the seats. At any rate, highschoolers like the autonomy of choice, so unless they give you a reason to assign them a seat, let them sort it out.
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First off, is this a school sanctioned thing? For example, is the bus driver recording students in order to put together a "school bus safety" video for the district. If so, then notices should have been sent around to all parents of the children involved. As it is the only LEGAL camera on the bus is the one that is hooked up to the bus monitoring system. Occasionally, I might take photographs of certain kids, but that's because I know their parents and will text them a goofy picture of their kid. Usually it is co-workers children. At any rate, I would seriously question why this driver is videotaping your child getting on and off the bus, or if maybe there was a miscommunication and the driver was referring to the overhead cameras in a bus lecture which are pointed at the students getting on and off the bus and sitting in the seats.
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This is kind of a slippery slope for bus drivers. It is probably best to maintain the professionalism and not get personal. Thats not to say if you see him out and about in a place other than the bus, that you can't strike up a conversation with him, but in my opinion best to keep those conversations for interactions outside his professional job.
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The pre-trip inspections vary from state to state and bus shop to bus shop, but overall, they aren't all that hard to follow. In my district, our pre-trip inspections are basically ensuring all the lights work, the horn works, the stop arm and the stop sign come out, emergency buzzers are active and working as well as the door functional. Any mechanical issue is usually discovered either in the fuel line or when the bus stops working for some reason. Since we don't fuel our own buses, the mechanics do it, they check the fluids and all under the hood for us.
As far as going to bed and waking up, that will depend on your individual route and district. For mine, I don't have a set bedtime or anything like that, but my route starts at 6:35 am every morning so I have to plan to be up and out the door by 6:10-6:15 every morning. I usually wake up at 5:45 ish (start to wake up/alarm goes off at 5:30), in the shower by 5:50, and out the door by 6:20. It only takes me a few minutes to drive to work, so I'm on the bus yard by 6:25 and on my bus and enroute by 6:30 to my first stop.
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That would depend on your local bus company. Different companies have different policies. In my district, as long as the children are school age, they are allowed to ride our buses. It also will depend on which schools you end up serving as to where your children can attend school within the district. Your best bet is to call the bus shop and speak to the supervisor on the bus shop's policy on the matter.
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I would check to see what your district policy is on electronics on school property. In my district, electronics such as cellphones or music players or the like are not allowed primarily in school or on school property which includes the school bus. As for me, I allow these things unless they start to cause a nuisance between the kids, in which case I usually will warn the child with the offending device and warn of the consequences (confiscation and a parental phone call) Most of the time the kids will tone it down and behave. Have you tried warning this child of the consequences for his behavior? Finally, you can get the back up of your supervisor in order to help manage this.
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The blame falls on the school district in my opinion. Heat is not something you want to play around with especially around children. If you're hot, imagine the ones who can't speak up for themselves or the little ones who get overheated really quickly. That's why even if my supervisor says no to stopping at a store to get water for the child that is obviously in distress, I would still do so because that child is depending on me to help them and my first responsibility is to the children in my care on the bus. Case in point - I have a diabetic child on my bus. Even though she has not shown any signs of distress or problems managing her diabetes, I always keep a water bottle and some easily dissolved sugar on the bus just in case she has a crisis. Maybe you could keep some water bottles or something on the bus to help manage a situation like that before it gets to be a problem? Finally, if they try to blame you for the child's distress (as some parents will), your best course of action is to take the situation above your supervisor if your supervisor is unsupportive.
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Be firm but fair. Don't let them see your weaknesses, but also realize that they are kids and will make mistakes. Try to listen to the kids. Calm bus driver = calm bus kids = easy time for all. Good luck!
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If it is done in the manner of asking for student information, then yes. We need to know how to contact people in the case of an emergency. However, if this is a driver asking for your phone number just to call or text, then that is kind of weird. I will often ask a student their name if I am not entirely certain of their name.
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Hi Jenna!
Moving can be scary, but just a few tips for when you get on the bus in your new town. Ask the bus driver if they have a place for you to sit. If the driver says sit anywhere or sit in x section, you can either go down the aisle and ask another kid if you can sit with them or find an empty seat depending on where you are in the route. Sometimes as a driver I have some kids raise their hands so I can tell a new kid to sit with someone I know is going to be friendly and welcome them. If the driver has assigned seating, they will probably tell you where to sit.
Finally if you're still nervous, have your parent or guardian call and speak to the bus driver before you get on the bus. I have lots of parents calling me asking me questions about my bus, and to get a time for their children to be at their designated bus stop. Good luck!
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First, you need to establish who was pushing your son and nephew. If it was the bus driver, ask the school and bus shop to pull the video tape. Most buses have video recording systems now in order to prevent situations like this. If it is shown on the tape then you have the right to request disciplinary action. If the action done is not suitable or the problem re-occurs, then you have the right to take it to the superintendents office. However keep in mind that you're only hearing one side to the story. The tape tells the whole story and will either clear the driver or make it clear the driver is in trouble.
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A school buses camera is usually only active when the bus is switched in the "on" position. The only exception to this is when a bus is switched off after a period of time. Our camera systems are designed to run for about 10-15 minutes after the bus is officially "off." This is so that it can be shown that we do our walk throughs to check the bus for any sleeping child and also prevents a bus driver from turning off the bus just to yell or swear at children off camera. If they have to wait 15 minutes the boss man knows something is up. As for any other security cameras that may be around the bus depots, I'm not sure, but some depots do have security cameras on the building and in the parking lot to ensure protection.
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It depends on the type of system, but most sound systems on a bus pick up surrounding noise, but the best noise happens about 4-6 feet surrounding the microphone.
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Legally speaking, probably not. However did the child do something that would warrant a need to clean up the bus? If so, such consequences should be discussed with the parent before hand unless the school opts to handle it that way. For example, a kid who has a chronic problem of not throwing away his trash may be asked to clean the bus in lieu of a harsher punishment like In School Suspension or Detention. My bus kids always like to help pick up the bus and I do have a couple of them who like to sweep up.
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Call it in to the authorities, or to the local bus shop/school district labeled on the outside of the school bus. Sometimes drivers do get distracted and make poor decisions. They still need to be notified so that they can adjust their driving style. There have been a few times where I have not made the best decision and pulled out inadvertently in front of someone on a blind corner, but we are human and all make mistakes. I would rather someone come to me and tell me that I need to watch how I drive than to endanger children anymore than necessary.
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Far as I can tell the notifications are left up to individual bus companies. I would assume it is based on severity of accident. If the bus was involved in a minor fender bender where no children are hurt, it is likely they will be either transferred to another bus and then delivered home or to school, or the bus is undamaged so it is able to deliver a student to and from school. You should review your individual school system policies to see what their protocol is on notifying parents of bus accidents.
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If the driver backed into the arbor, knocked it down, and broke something then it should be up to the bus company to pay for a reasonable replacement of items broken or damaged. Accidents happen, and things should be fixed. I once backed into a yard and over a low fence (fence was largely decorative and only outlined parts of the driveway). I didn't think I had damaged anything but my boss got a call from the homeowners. Though I took responsibility, my boss just went and got the items needed to simply repair the damage (a post and one small piece of fence) It took all of 10 minutes to make the repair as it was a simple accident and not malicious in any way.
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I'm not sure of the legalities associated with retarders or governors on buses, however I do know that the federal speedlimit for buses is 55 mph maximum. Various states and counties may have their own rules, but as for ours, we are pre-set to 55-59 mph maximum speed. This is to keep the children safe as well as drivers.
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As long as you are following procedures your boss should back you up. We've had parents threaten to get us fired, but in the end they look like the idiots because we are following all procedures and policies in regards to bus and student behavior. I wouldn't worry too much unless you are doing something that is in clear violation of the rules.
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Judy,
Sometimes dispatchers are under a lot more stress in situations that are emergencies or safety issues. I would recommend taking a step back and listening to the radio chatter that occurs during an incident. Two common incidents we have in my area are vehicle accidents and trains. While neither really involves a school bus other than the knowledge to reroute in the case of an emergency or to save time, the conversations often go something like this:
Vehicle accident -
Random bus driver - x to bus shop, there has been a vehicle accident at the intersection of x and x. Advised that other drivers reroute to avoid.
Bus shop - 10-4 advising drivers to avoid intersection of x and x.
Other bus driver - What color was the car/truck involved?
Still another one - Who got in an accident?
Third - What intersection was it?
Fourth - How did they get into an accident is the whole intersection blocked off?
Fifth - Bus shop, i had my radio down and didnt hear what was said.....
I could go on but then you get the idea. The same occurs when a train is blocking an intersection. Finally emergencies involving other buses can be as stressful when you have 5+ people who are offering to help but are running over each other on the radio at the chance to be the first to gawk at the incident. Our bus shop actually tells us to stay off the radio as it is distracting and frustrating because the bus shop OR the driver involved in the emergency cannot seem to key up on the radio because of the flurry of idiotic activity from the other "well meaning" bus drivers. I've even taken to calling the bus shop by cell phone to avoid the incessant radio chatter and questions regarding the incident from drivers OTHER than dispatch.
Point is, sometimes taking a step back and evaluating whether our voices are needed can sometimes make the few times we do decide to step up and help that much more meaningful.
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The citations are usually handled by the school. The bus driver will turn the citation into the proper authorities (principal or supervisor) and the citation will be handled from there. The consequence depends on the severity of the behavior written on the citation. For example: two kids in a fight will get 3 days off the bus but the kid who gets in trouble for using foul language might only get a warning. It depends on your school districts policy.
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"My sons bus driver says to be waiting on him in someone elses driveway a 8th of a mile up the road. No other kids get on when my son does. Waiting means stand there for possibly 30mins cause this bus doesnt come at a regular time."
I copied the second part of your question here so that I can address both at the same time
First, if your house is a designated stop, my first suggestion would be to go to the bus shop supervisor and find out why he has not been stopping at the stop. There may not be an easy place to turn around down by where you live. Sometimes there are safety reasons why we don't go down certain roads. If the bus has no consistent time, this is something that should be reported to the bus shop as well. I try to be on the same schedule within a 5 minute time frame so as not to worry my students or parents. Third, I don't know the age of your child, but it is likely that if the child is in middle or highschool, it is easier to get the child to walk a couple hundred yards to where there is a safe place for the bus to turn around. On one of my roads, there is literally no place to turn around at the end of the road. I could go down it and back into someone's driveway, but I don't want to do that unless it is absolutely necessary or pouring down rain.
Keep in mind there are laws when handling back ups on a 40 foot school bus. The bus isnt exactly the most maneuverable vehicle too. Hope this helps.
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The bus driver should stop at every stop on his or her route, however waiting is left up to the individual bus driver. You may need to adjust your time in going down to your bus stop to ensure you do not miss the stop. The bus driver may have a new stop or has needed to adjust the time of your bus stop in order to make things run more smoothly. Additionally, there might have been a substitute on the bus that was unaware of the stop. I recommend being out at the stop at least 5 minutes ahead of time. If I stop at a stop, I will typically wait 5 seconds before closing the door and moving on. If I see students coming towards the bus, I will wait. However if the student is chronically late to the stop or dawdles and doesn't come directly to the bus in a timely manner, then I am more apt to shut the door and leave the student behind, especially if they have been given a warning about the time they are to be at the stop.
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Sorry for the delay in reply. Usually it means that the bus is governed to a certain speed that it can't exceed. Some buses have alarms to notify the driver of a speed exceeded in which case the bus will automatically slow. Other buses will just hit that maximum speed and simply slow or hold at that max speed.
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Bus drivers have the right to assign seats to kids. That includes everyone from pre-school to high school. The way it works on my bus, the elementary have assigned seats. From pre-k through grade 5, they are assigned a certain seat. After that they have the freedom to pick a seat but must stay seated and follow all the bus rules. Failure to follow the rules, acting out, and being unruly will get an older child to be treated like my younger group. Some districts require assigned seats regardless of age of the child. This is to help first responders when there is a bus wreck. We don't do it to be mean or obnoxious, though if you act out, we may retaliate in response by putting you with a child that is significantly younger than you to show you how to behave. If you have a preferred seat or section or have a certain friend or two you want to sit beside, let the bus driver know. Most drivers will try to accommodate you.
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I would need examples of the questions being asked in order to better understand the situation. That being said I rarely ask any child any side of a situation but his or her own. For example, on my bus on Friday, I had let one of my more challenging students sit further back from the front. As such, he subsequently threw something at other kids which made a big problem on the bus. Instead of accusing any one child, I asked each child what happened and their side to the story. This stopped them from being upset over the situation and allowed them to control their side to it.In the end, I got the truth about what happened, correlated by several kids, and not one of them accused the other of doing it.
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Each state has their own laws regarding the age of bus drivers. I think here in Georgia it is 21 or 22. Other than that I'm not sure. As far as time is concerned, yes it can be worked during a college schedule. In fact I am in college myself and manage my job and college.
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It is legal and well within the bus driver's right to assign seats on the bus. Different drivers choose to do it by sections or by sides, or even by assigning each child a specific spot on a seat. I have my bus divided by grade level, though i have so many middle schoolers that it is difficult to contain them to just a section of rows. So my bus rules are my elementary (pre-k thru grade 5) cannot go past row 6 which is about the halfway point of my 72 passenger bus. My middle school and high school share the remaining 6 rows. Depending on the number of kids in each school I serve will determine whether I allow them certain privileges and that does include restricting seats.
Unless you are forced to sit 3 to a seat to where 3 high schoolers in a seat would make the ride dangerous and unsafe due to lack of space, then really its up to the bus driver. Are the girls crowded? Are there more girls than boys? If the numbers are that all the boys fit (at 2 to a seat) in the 8 seats available (4 rows of seats) then there really isn't an issue other than the fact you feel it is unfair. Life isn't fair.
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Typically, no. However there have been circumstances where a driver does need to exit the bus. It also depends on the situation. Some bus companies require bus drivers to also act as crossing guards so they have to secure their buses and escort children across a road. Another circumstance where a driver would need to exit the bus while students are on the bus is to either speak privately (at the doorway to the bus) with a parent or an administrator. Finally if the bus driver has to use the bathroom, in my district we are authorized to ask for someone to come watch our bus while we use the facilities.
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The article doesn't seem to want to come up for me, but a quick Google search comes up with a couple stories relating to a bus driver leaving a bus running while stepping off the bus. In my district, we are taught never to get off the bus while it is idling with passengers on board. The only time it is acceptable for us is if we are doing our pre-trip inspection to ensure everything is operational. The reason why we are taught this is for safety. It can be very easy for a passenger to step to the front of the bus and press a couple buttons for fun. Pressing the wrong button or releasing the brake could endanger the other passengers on board. From a safety standpoint, the driver should have been suspended or at least very severely reprimanded. I don't think the offense warrants a loss of a job, but certainly a warning or some action for the driver endangering other passengers. That being said, there are some professions that allow for provisions of the driver stepping off the bus while it is idling, mostly to help a passenger. This can include luggage or any other items the passenger may be traveling with, along with and including walkers, wheelchairs, or other items. On a side note, the article I read on Google was about a driver who stepped off the bus to take a selfie with a Hollywood star. While the actions seem innocent, the driver utilized her cell phone on paid company time AND potentially endangered her passengers by stepping off the bus. Finally, while it is not wrong to ask for an autograph or selfie in general, it may look unprofessional to others, which is probably why she got reported.
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My apologies for a late reply - I'm not sure about mechanic - but I know for a driver position, it depends on each state and individual company. Most companies will request a driver be at least 21. As for a qualified mechanic, 18 would be a legal age to work. As for your friend, the highschool in the area might have an agreement with the school to have students complete a work study. This allows a student to get experience while completing some generic duties.
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What happens when they get written up? If you are having a problem with overcrowding, you have a few options. The first would be to go to your supervisor. They may be able to rearrange and take some of the students off your bus route in order to alleviate the overcrowding issue. Most any kid is going to have problems sitting three to a seat, especially if they are older kids. A second option is to speak to your supervisor about splitting your route into two runs. I service elementary, middle, and high school students on my bus and due to an overcrowding issue I experienced last year, I opted to do an abbreviated first run in order to drop off approximately 20 students to alleviate the need to have most everyone at 3 to a seat. I still get done at the same time every day, actually about 5 minutes earlier by simply going to two runs. My kids are comfortable and they behave much better because they are not packed in like sardines.
A third option is for you to assign everyone a seat. Anyone not in their assigned seat or standing in their assigned seat will get written up.
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Well given that most bus stops are in public places, I would venture to say that recording is okay. However that being said, there may be some legality reasons why you should not record anything involving other people's children. Best to check with your local laws.
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Then you may want to check in with the district and the bus shop to see if something can be done. Have you considered talking with the driver to see what his reasoning is? Maybe if you approach it with a polite manner, he might be more amenable to changing or giving an extra row of seats for space. Good luck.
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I'm not sure exactly what your question is, but from what I gather, safety is a concern. If the school district isn't doing anything to stop the behavior of drivers, then please report the behavior to the police. That being said, make sure you know exactly what the driver has said or done or you could be accused of filing a false police report. You may have a situation where the driver has been instructed to leave students.
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Have you tried speaking with the bus driver directly? Maybe there is a space issue and the driver has assigned seats. If your child is the last stop (in the morning), then it may be that the only seats available are ones with boys in them. If possible you could request that your child be seated next to a child of the same gender or paired up with someone else. When I have assigned seats on my bus, I usually will pair children together with ones whom I know are their friends on the bus. Sometimes with the younger ones, I will pair them up with either classmates or older positive influences.
As far as saying good morning or anything to the children, it is each bus drivers individual preferences. I prefer to greet every child with a friendly good morning. If I don't greet children, they know its either because I was distracted or otherwise occupied answering a child. Sometimes you speaking to the bus driver might bring about the change that your child needs. Good luck!
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It depends on the area. Some bus drivers drive the routes the same way in the evening that they do in the morning, therefore that first on first off philosophy works, but then there are some drivers who reverse their entire route in the evening so that first on is often last off. This is usually due to the area in question. For example, if a student lives 20 minutes outside of town and there are some students on the bus that live directly in town, the bus will often drop off those in town students before the bus makes its way out of town to drop off that one student. My bus route is a little complicated as I make two runs in the morning and two runs in the afternoon. All of my runs are set up to make sense for the geography of the area and to maximize the time efficiently while serving the most amount of students. Because my highschool is on one side of town and my middle school is on the other side of town (my elementary is in the middle) I often will drop off students on my way to one or the other schools or pick them up in the morning depending on number of kids and whatnot.
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That depends on the individual bus driver but most of us at least do a short walk through at the end of every route to make sure the kids have all exited the bus. Whether they dig in the seats and find objects hidden is dependent on each individual bus driver. Personally, I check my bus, but my kids also know that they better take all their objects with them because some other kids aren't honest.
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I haven't had much of a chance to blog recently. Its kind of a shame that I've not been as active in the blog-o-sphere. Maybe I'll create a new post referencing this Q&A so that people can come and get their questions answered directly.
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Buses and routes are typically determined by your specific company that you will be working for. In my district, the routes are designated by number and the ones with the longest routes in miles or those that do many field trips out of town get preferential treatment when the newer buses arrive on the lot. Most of our drivers keep the same route year after year so unless the driver voluntarily gives up their route, or retires, the routes stay the same as do the drivers. That being said, there is a fair amount of turnover between drivers and floaters and substitutes and its likely you would get a route in a short amount of time. Be aware though if there are several routes that are listed as "open" it is likely that those are the routes no driver wants because the kids are absolutely awful on those routes. On the other hand, it takes a special driver to handle those sorts of routes and make them "good" routes again.
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Typically bus cameras are on from the time the driver starts the bus to up to 15 minutes after the bus is shut down. This is a safety feature for students as well as drivers. The 15 minutes after the bus is shut down is long enough that it would be suspect if a driver were to deliberately shut down the bus and wait those 15 minutes before addressing students. In my district, we are not allowed to have the keys to the VCR or Digital recording boxes so that we can remove the tape ourselves. Sometimes the camera does not work properly or the roads are so bouncy that the VCR hiccups and ejects the tape so the system is not perfect. Digital cameras have made it easier for us because VHS tapes can be so easily corrupted.
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Sorry for the delay in response, Hurricane Matthew knocked me for a loop. As far as writing you up, has the bus driver warned you about it before? If so have you consistently put your foot in the aisle when told not to? Maybe you could apologize to the girl and the bus driver and ask for a second chance.
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Late buses are generally used to get students within reasonable walking distance (1 mile) of their homes. That being said, I don't know the policies of your particular bus service. Maybe you should have your parents check with the bus barn and the school in order to make sure they do have your stop on the list.
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Apologies, I have been on vacation the last month or so with many other priorities that I have neglected this Q&A. The only way a video camera should be used on a bus or aimed at a bus is to catch the driver or students in the act of wrong doing. If you see a bus weaving in and out of traffic or making an improper stop at a rail road crossing, video tape. Then bring the tape to the attention of the bus company. The driver needs to be reprimanded and held accountable.
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Every day. I don't worry about sharing in their sickness because no matter what you do or where you go, germs are everywhere. That shopping cart handle.. filthy, that movie seat... filthy, that public transportation bus... filthy. If i'm going to get sick, I'm simply going to get sick.
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That issue is usually left up to individual districts. Some districts allow drivers to take their very young children (in a car seat) sometimes on the bus. This applies to grandchildren too. Others have strict policies about what students and children can and cannot be on the bus. I believe it depends on a case by case basis and is determined by the district in which a driver works. In my district, the policy is usually school age only children allowed on the bus (pre-k thru 18) however the rules have been known to be bent a bit to help accommodate a special situation such as someone lacking childcare for a particular child. As long as it is cleared by the boss and is not causing a problem for other people, then it is generally allowed.
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First I would figure out who I have on the bus (is it elementary, middle school, high school?) The protocol for dropping off elementary is different from dropping off or handling high school. Secondly, I would figure out the individual school district policy. Then the following two scenarios can potentially occur and would be how I would logically handle it:
1. For a two hour delay - I would bring the students already on the bus directly to the school (or other designated area as defined by the bus shop/school district) then wait and begin my run again picking up the remainder of my students on my run from the beginning. The the students who were originally on the bus to begin with would end up getting into some place warm and off the icy/dangerous roads even though its earlier than the designated 2 hour delay. Chances are good the school districts prepare for something like this and will often open up the cafeteria or gym for the students to chill until the school day starts.
2. For a full on cancellation depending on where I am en-route - I would continue to the end of my route, turn around and begin dropping off students, starting with the last ones first. The reason for continuing to the end of the route would be to help notify any students whose parents either aren't home or have not gotten the message yet that school is cancelled. It also allows me to pick up those whose parents have left for the day thinking school is proceeding as normal. Once all is dropped off, whomever is left I would contact either their parents or the school if I cannot get hold of the parents (taking into consideration the child's age).
Point is regardless of where the child will be, I would be responsible not to leave them where there is no adult supervision if it is required.
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If the proper procedure is followed and the bus is secured, I see no reason why a driver cannot teach their children how to operate and secure the bus and that includes opening the door. In my view, if there was an emergency on the bus, I would want my kids to know how to pull the brake, set the bus in neutral, turn the key off and open the door. My elementary kids have shown a healthy interest in learning how to do these things so I actually do let them on the bus, I have complete control over when and if they do it and it boosts their confidence and knowledge. That being said, I would never let them randomly open the door without my approval or knowledge.
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If this was your first write up, chances are good the administrator will simply warn you or give you a short lecture if that. Nothing will go on a permanent record for something as trivial as bringing a friend home. In the future though, if your friend wants to ride the bus, it's probably best if your friend gets a pass from the office stating that he/she can ride the bus home with you. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I don't write kids up just because they want to bring a friend home. I do require that their friends get passes, or at least if they couldn't get a pass, I will call a principal or assistant principal to the bus to give clearance for them to ride. We just need to watch out for the safety of every student.
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If the bus has the stop sign out and the lights flashing for the love of GOD and all the kids out there that don't want to die... STOP YOUR VEHICLE! If you are not sure STOP YOUR VEHICLE! If you think there might be a problem and sheep fall out of the sky STOP YOUR VEHICLE!
That being said there are very few areas where a driver is allowed to run a school bus red lights and they vary by state to state. Check with your local state laws but when in doubt STOP!
For the safety of the kids!!
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That's a tough call. Personally, on hot days, I bring water for all my bus kids. It may not be cold water, but it is liquid. If there is a definite need like the child is going to pass out or in serious health decline due to the heat, then I would probably send one of my more responsible kids in for water at the store and take the heat later from my supervisor. The biggest issue I have there is that there was either no one on the bus to supervise the kids if the driver got off or that kids can be hard to control if let off to go into a store.
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Most of the time if a student slips and falls while getting off the bus, they are usually up and going by the time we would have secured the bus, unbuckled our seatbelts and gotten out of our seats. We ask if they are okay in case they really are not okay and are more seriously injured. If that's the case, we will go the extra mile and help them up or call for assistance. In my district, we are required to write up any incidents of injury or potential injury so that if there is a further problem, it is on record. Of course safety is number one priority so we teach our students to use the hand rails while stepping off the bus.
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In my district, we are allowed to put children off at two places. 1. that child's regular stop, and 2. at any school within the district up to and including district school board offices and the bus barn itself. As for you spitting gum at somebody, did you consider the ramifications of your actions? First, who is going to clean up the gum, which by now has probably stuck to the seat or to the floor and been walked on? Second, is throwing or spitting something at someone a way to solve a problem? Third, if you are having a problem with somebody, please, feel free to tell the driver so that the driver can make adjustments. That being said, while its NOT illegal, it may be against policy.
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Chances are good if the driver was at fault for the accident, the driver will be arrested and charged with negligence. That is entirely up to the police and investigating officers. Accidents happen and sometimes they are preventable. The real question is whether the driver was at fault or not. Just like anyone else that has been in an accident the person is entitled to a fair trial in accordance with the laws.
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Well, it depends on the age of the child and the circumstances. If an object was thrown and it hit another child accidentally, I obviously handle that situation differently. On my bus, unless any visible marks were left by the object on the victim, then I will normally call or speak with the parents of the child who threw the object as well as notify the parents of the victim. In more severe cases where marks were left, I write the children up (both the victim and the offender) because often there is more to the story than just the object being thrown or used against the victim and then I also call the parents of the children to let them know what my course of action is. I also pull the video tape on my bus and review it to see if it was a clear case of victimization or a tit for tat situation. Even in clear cases of victimization - the victim will get written up but a notation will be made that they were the VICTIM and not the offending student. This is so the principal or administrator knows exactly who to talk to over the incident.
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Depending on the area in which you live and the desperation of your child to use the bathroom would be the determining factor for whether or not the right decision was made. When possible here, we will make accommodations for a child to use an actual restroom, but sometimes on country routes, there are not bathrooms available readily. If your child was desperate enough to where he could not wait till he got home or risked embarrassment in wetting his pants, the bus driver probably thought it might be easier to just let him off and have him go behind a tree right quick. If you take issue with this, then bring it to the bus drivers attention and talk to the bus supervisors.
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There are a myriad of reasons why a bus could stop at a gas station. The bus should not be left with students unattended or if the driver has to leave, then the driver should take the keys out of the ignition and secure the bus as though no-one were on it. Sometimes there may have been a sick child and the driver made a judgement call to get the child to a bathroom, or the driver may have been ill him or herself.
Another thing that it may have been would be a sports team which usually leaves at around the same time school lets out. Often, the teams like gas station pit stops before leaving town or while out of town. I'd call the local bus yard and see if that driver is allowed to do that. Each county has its own rules.
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That depends on your district's policy on the matter. In my district as long as they are school age and registered in the school system, the bus drivers can bring their own children on the buses with them. This is also dependent on special circumstances as determined by the boss. Many drivers have children that are very young but also have children that are school age. Often bosses will make the personal call to allow a driver to bring a child that is not registered to the school system on the bus provided the child can behave properly or is properly seat belted or restrained in a manner such as a car seat that will allow the bus driver to still effectively do his or her job while having their children on board. My district also allows drivers to make certain allowances for friends provided it doesn't inconvenience the children on board the bus as a general rule of thumb.
For example, I was allowed to transport my friends three children. My friend lived a block from my bus route and I was allowed to deviate my route by one block to accommodate my friend as approved by my boss. The inconvenience to my bus children was minimal as it meant I only went down one street further up and the time difference was negligible (a matter of 30 seconds to add an additional stop). Did my boss have to make this accommodation? No, but he allowed it because he did not see a reason to deny a favor that I was doing for a friend.
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It is a very good possibility that you will be billed with the cost of a replacement seat cover if the existing cover cannot be cleaned. I'm not sure how much those generally run, though a quick search on google revealed that the replacement covers are usually 8 to 15 dollars depending on where the school bus transportation department places their orders. The seat covers are usually ordered to match the interior color of the seats. There may also be an installation or other surcharge for putting the seat cover on the seat as it is a bit of a process in order to ensure that the cover is secure and fits well. That being said, it might be a good idea to discuss with your son the proper way to respect other peoples property. Just like you wouldn't let him draw on the walls at home, he shouldn't draw on the bus seat. I have a soft spot for elementary kids and usually there are cleaners out there that can remove marker stains from the seats. If your son would ride my bus, I would likely ask you if it would be okay if he could clean the seat on which he drew. If the marks still did not come up with a generic cleaner, then I would still praise him for trying to clean up his mess and then get a different cleaner to attempt to clean the marks myself after telling him that sometimes cleaners don't always erase the mistakes we make. Sometimes kids (especially little ones) don't think of their actions before they do it, so I keep that in mind and adjust my approach accordingly.
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Honestly I don't. I do know they retire the buses after so many years or after they rack up so many driven miles due to safety concerns. Plus older buses do not have as many of the safety features that newer buses have. Child check lights, taller seats for better compartmentalization, less overhead hazards... etc.
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I think you're missing something. I think that maybe if you want to do it, then you should give it a go. Worst that can happen is you go through the classes, drive the bus for a little bit, and decide its not for you.
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Depends on the age of the student for me. If its a highschooler i might discipline them by making them sit up separated by gender. Same with any other grade level. Repeated offenses and I would turn them into the school for inappropriate display of affection
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First, I would blow my horn to try to get the child's attention as well as the oncoming traffic's attention. Secondly, the child should not move towards the bus until I have cleared all traffic and made sure it is safe for the child to do so. Third, if the person passes me, I will do my best to get their license plate number and their car description written down so that I can turn them into the police for disobeying traffic laws regarding school buses.
Flying school buses - a little far fetched though kind of interesting.
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Are you sure that's the only reason they got kicked off the bus? There may have been other reasons for your friend to be denied riding the bus that you are not privileged enough to hear about. A little more information can help me answer this.
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As i said before, we prefer not.
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We are required to stop at every stop, however if a student does not exit the house or is at the stop in a timely manner (we request at least 5 minutes before the stop time to be AT the stop waiting on the bus) then we can leave. If my bus students are not out waiting on me, I will stop and wait for 3-5 seconds before closing the door and moving on. This is in addition to setting the brake, shifting the bus in neutral, and activating the lights. If some of them are out, but others are still walking to the stop, then I will wait for them at the stop. If I do not see them exit the house in a timely manner then I can leave them. Some drivers will honk the horn to notify the kids that they are at their stop, however I do not do this except under extreme circumstances for example if a child is an every day rider for instance and suddenly misses the bus one morning. This is because every child would take advantage of the extra time and come to expect the horn beep. If I have to be out for any reason or any length of time, I want my substitute to know that my bus kids will be at their designated stop at the designated time. If it is raining however, I do allow for extra time so that the children can come to the bus from a covered area.
In the afternoons, we are only required to see if a parent is home for children that are under 3rd grade. Unless otherwise instructed by a parent to leave the child at the stop, it is always best to err on the side of caution. We can potentially get in trouble if a student is left unattended that should have been supervised. In the past, if a student tells me they have forgotten their house key, I will call the child's parent to find out what the parent wishes me to do with the child.
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It depends on the state you live in as to how the bus is configured for example if the bus has seatbelts or not. The best course of action once one has experienced an accident, especially something as severe as a crash or flipping over, is to evacuate the bus using one of the designated exits. If the driver is conscious and able to perform his/her duties, they will instruct you on how to exit the bus, otherwise exiting the bus in a safe manner and then moving a distance away from the wreck for safety is advised. For simple fender benders or less serious accidents, the driver will tell you what he or she expects.
To minimize your injury in an accident, sit the proper way in a seat with your bottom against the seat bottom, your back against the seat back and your feet on the floor. Sitting sideways or kneeling up reduces the efficacy of the structure of the bus when it comes to accidents. If your bus is equipped with seatbelts, wear them. Stay calm. Accidents are unexpected so there is no real way to prepare for them. It is not quite like an airplane where they have the safety brochure and "crash positions". We are on the road so it is hard to predict how other drivers will be.
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That's a tough question to answer. My instinct is that before the bus starts moving that all children should be secured in seatbelts (provided the bus has a seatbelt for the child) or at the very least, all children should be seated. I drive a bus without seatbelts and my rule of thumb is that I will wait until most, if not all of my kids are settled in their seats before continuing with the route. At a maximum, I might let up on the brake and roll the bus forward but I wont hit the gas until they are seated. The only other time where this might need to have an exception is if the bus stop is on a main busy highway and it would be more dangerous to remain stopped for longer than is necessary. Aides on the buses help alleviate any driver issues with getting the kids buckled in.
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That would depend on your district laws. Look in the children's school handbook for bus policy and procedure. If in doubt, call the bus yard and ask. Eleven is a bit young to be let off with a younger sibling, but in my county and state, children as young as 9 can be left home alone without supervision or let off without a parent there. That being said, if you always pick them up and have never failed to pick them up, as a driver, I would immediately question you not being there. I have some kids whose parents meet them every day, and others whom if there is a vehicle in the yard, I am to assume (and have been told this by the parents) that somebody is home for the children though nobody is at the door to greet them. Additionally, a half mile seems quite a distance for an elementary kid to meet the bus. Is there a place down your road closer to your house that the bus could potentially turn around? Maybe you need to ask and see if there is a possibility to change the stop?
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You can try calling the bus shop or the board of education to try to get the bus yard number. If you can get ahold of somebody there, then great. Other than that, unfortunately, you'll have to wait until Monday to get the item.
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That would depend on what you mean. If you intend on using the bus as free child care, NO. Your children need to be dropped off and picked up at their designated stop times in the mornings and the afternoons. Exceptions can be made if you are running late or emergencies occur (we understand when things are out of your control) but we prefer things like these don't become a habit. It's not fair to your children or the other children on the bus. If you know of a neighbor or friend of yours that is a bus driver and you want to ask them to babysit your children in their off times, then that falls under the category of personal friendship/relationships and is outside the realm of professional bus duties. For example, I transport my friends 3 teenage children. They often need help with homework so I will go over to their house after my bus route to help them. This is because we are friends outside of my job not because we became friends THROUGH my job, though the same or similar scenario can occur.
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If the bus is not pulled over in a safe manner and is left in the middle of a road, then the bus driver is in the wrong and should be reported. However, dirt roads don't often allow us to pull over as far as we'd like or are so narrow that we have to travel center. As far as your bus mate farting, I suggest the child learn to control his or her bodily functions.
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In most states and federally speaking a CDL class B license with Passenger and School Bus endorsements is needed (for driving a school bus specifically - I am unsure about Greyhound type buses). Most bus companies will host training classes which will give you the needed skills and experience to obtain the job. The written part is standard and the usual for every state. The driving parts of the test vary by the examiner that gives the test.
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Yes. I have had a few close calls, though luckily none of my children have been hurt. Motorists disobeying the stop sign happens more often than you think. I apologize for the delay in responding.
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That largely depends on the bus company itself. Most drivers who have children only do it because it affords them the opportunity to drive their own children to and from school and get paid for it. That being said some drivers may be asked to take on different routes until the route that is near their home comes open. Each bus company does routing differently. In my county, parents are allowed to have their own children on their buses, but it can sometimes cause issues with "favoritism" among students whether real or imagined.
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Are all 4 of you trying to cram into one seat at once? If this is the case then I can see your frustration. Can you ask him if he means rows of seats instead of just a single seat? If he means rows of seats then a row of seats can fit 4 people (two on each side). Also, if there are four kids in one seat that are near high school age I would have a hard time cramming those kids in that one single seat. Maybe you can get your parents to discuss the issue with the bus driver?
An example of where I use location of students to my benefit is on my run. I have one seat where I have 5 students assigned to that single seat. Two are middle schoolers, one is a high schooler and 2 are elementary kids that are kindergarten and 2nd grade. The middle school rides the first run and the high schooler and two elementary get on in the second run. The only reason why I have the two elementary with the high schooler is because they are her little cousins and she can squeeze next to them easily without creating an issue. I also don't mind if there is a spare seat that they adjust accordingly and let the little kid sit with someone else as long as there is space available.
Good luck
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Are your kids standing out at the stop 5-10 minutes ahead of time for the bus driver to see them? There may have been a substitute on the bus and not every substitute knows every stop and most rely on students being out at their designated stops on time. If your children have been told multiple times to be out on time ready and waiting and they were not, then I have no sympathy. That being said our policy in our district is that we go by every stop and at least look to see if the kids are at each stop. On colder mornings or mornings where rain is a concern, I don't mind waiting an extra minute for kids to come from the house but generally the kids need to be out and ready and waiting on the bus.
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Is your daughter riding a regular education school bus? You can request special education school bus transportation for your child to be written into your child's IEP or 504 plan. If your child already has a 504 and an IEP in place then modifications to those must be made before any district will make any changes or concessions. Get those in place and the district should help you at least fight that battle of getting your child to school on time. That being said, riding the bus is a privilege not a right and therefore it is something that most districts provide because many parents do not have other options for their children to get to school. If your child needs extra time to prepare to be in school I do suggest that you look into alternatives such as driving her yourself in the morning times so that it is not as stressful if the other options do not work.
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That's a bit dicey. It is frowned upon for us to do personal business in the bus in general. That isn't to say that we aren't allowed to make stops at a grocery store or Walmart for one reason or another as long as we do not abuse the privilege. What you may have witnessed too is a class field trip to a bank that may have been pre-planned for a teacher and students. Don't be so quick to judge as there may have been many reasons for a bus to be stopping at a local business for one reason or another. Keep in mind we often have second jobs and we get permission to park our buses at one location or another that is not on school property. If you are concerned about seeing a bus making repeated stops at a location, a phone call to the bus yard may clarify the situation and allow the proper authorities to be notified of any ill behavior.
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Our cameras are locked away to where we cannot turn off the cameras when the bus is on. However when the bus is stopped and turned off and NO students are on board, the cameras will turn off just like any other electronic when you turn on or off your vehicle. For the safety of the drivers, we are not allowed to turn off our buses while we have students on them except when waiting at a school, and then most of us turn our keys to the left all the way to keep the cameras rolling.
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Take your time. Use your training. Most companies will have policies put in place for snow driving. This may include putting on snow tires or snow chains on the tires to help with traction, using lower gears, or reduced speeds in general. I live in the south, but I grew up in the northeast New England area and just like any region, driving in inclement weather, whether it be rain, snow, ice, wind, or fog, must be done with an abundance of caution especially when transporting children to and from school. Good luck!
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Sometimes apartment complexes are too small for a bus to maneuver safely in and out of without risk of hitting vehicles or other obstacles. There may also be apartment complex rules and regulations forbidding heavy vehicles from entering or exiting the complex except in special circumstances (fire trucks/ambulances etc). There may also be a law forbidding school buses in certain counties from performing backing up while students are on board. When backing a school bus, the students are at greatest risk of getting injured or killed because the driver is largely depending on a set of mirrors and praying that no one is behind them or pulled a stupid move to block their path. I would look up your local ordinances on school buses and see if that helps?
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No, I use my interior lights in the mornings so that I can keep an eye on my kids. Having kids of both genders on the bus in the dark can lead to questionable circumstances, so to prevent problems, its easier to drive with the lights on. Yes, we can get out of our seats if the bus is parked and secure.
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Technically and legally, no, though I have had kids come up and ask me a few questions. If its more than one question I usually have them sit in the front seat or I ask that they tell me at a stop instead.
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1. Get a route description. Most companies will have these available to substitute drivers. The description will notate the stops and times for each stop.
2. Most kids are more than willing to help you find your way. Ask them. Don't hesitate to let them tell you where to go.
3. If the kids aren't at their stops in the mornings, you have no fault in the situation. They know to be there 5-10 minutes ahead of time and to be waiting on you. In the afternoons the schedule is a little more flexible in getting the kids home. Take your time and eventually they all get off the bus!
4. Don't sweat the little things. The kids are going to turn around in the seat and talk. As long as the noise is not distracting and at a reasonable level and as long as they are staying in their seats, let the kids be kids.
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Speak to your supervisor about it. They may make exceptions or allow you to deviate from the route you have to take your child to and from school. There is always a way to work it out.
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They could be a monitor or a new driver learning the route. If they have been there year round then I'd lean towards monitor or driver helper. If not, then it might be a new driver who has been told they need to learn every route in the district. Another possibility might be the driver could be being evaluated for a promotion or other work related things.
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There can be any number of reasons a bus driver has someone riding the bus with them. If its not a regular occurrence, then the person is likely a safety evaluator or supervisor of some sort. This may be so that the driver is periodically and randomly evaluated by the company they work for. Another reason you might find someone riding the bus with your driver is simply so that other person can learn your bus drivers route details. Periodically we might have to be absent from work for some reason or another and a substitute driver is needed. In order to cut down on the confusion, subs will often learn each route separately. Finally, if your bus is one that needs supervision by an aide, the driver could have requested someone to be an aide on the bus in order to help manage students behavior.
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Hi Chuck! Sorry for the delay in response. It would depend on what the accident involved. I can't speak for most bus companies but many of them go on a case by case basis. Most require a 5-7 year MVR history regardless of whether or not there was any offenses in that time. If you are disqualified from driving, you will be notified then. Good luck!
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Are your children in your vehicle or are they standing at the stop? Its not clear as to where your children were this morning while waiting for the bus. That being said, it doesn't change the fact that it could have been a substitute bus driver that doesn't know the route very well. If there is a visibility issue then you definitely need to take that up with the school district or be standing out there with your children with a flash light to maybe flag the driver down if visibility is an issue. Perhaps installing a street light or lamp might illuminate the situation and make it clear if your children were standing at the stop. Either way you should probably contact the district to talk to them about it and address your complaints.
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That depends on a case by case basis. It may be that the driver was asked to cover another area and school and is having to make adjustments accordingly. All too often where we pick up and who we pick up is determined by the school system itself.
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Own up to it, offer to pay for the damages, and apologize. Also don't damage other peoples stuff.
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In general, it is frowned upon to put your hands on a child. That being said I have grabbed onto kids to stop them from hurting themselves. For example if a 5 year old gets out of the bus seat before their stop and my foot is on the brake, the bus will brake faster than the kid realizes and I often put my hand out to stop them from sliding into or hitting the windshield of the bus. If your child won't sit down, I will stop my bus until the child sits as they should. I may take them by the hand and lead them to the seat and ask them to sit down but I would never forcefully move them or cause them to get harmed in the process. If a child will not slide to the window to make room for other students, I will generally speak to that child's parent first. With many little kids, less is more. The more direct you can be in your expectations and less intimidating, the more likely they are going to listen and obey. That being said if the driver did put his or her hands on your child or child's belongings, ask the bus yard to pull the video tape and review the drivers actions.
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Were you at your designated stop on time and ready for the bus driver to pick you up? If you were and she did not stop then there may have been a substitute bus driver who did not know the route and stops on the bus route very well. We make mistakes. The best thing for you to do in that situation is go home and ask your parents to call the bus yard or school and see if they can send the bus back to get you or have them drive you to school and call in to the bus yard to find out what happened.
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It depends on a lot of factors. Bus to bus... probably a couple miles if we're travelling on a trip and get separated and stuff like that. In town with the tower it can reach from the county line and beyond, though the further from the tower the bus is the signal deteriorates.
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It would depend on the situation. We are not allowed to let children off at undesignated areas unless previously being notified to. If the student simply wanted to get off the bus randomly, the answer would likely be no unless there is a safety issue at hand.
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That all depends on the reason for the write up and your individual schools policy on write ups coming from bus drivers. In my district, administrators are supposed to follow a policy that goes something like this:
1st write up: warning2nd write up: 1-3 days off the bus depending on offense3rd write up: 3-5 days off the bus4th write up: 5-10 days off the bus5th write up: 10 days off or permanent removal from bus riding privilege for at least the remainder of the school year.6th write up: Permanent removal of bus riding privilege for at least the remainder of the school year.
In many instances they don't follow this policy like they should and issue far too many warnings, but if they follow it like they should, we would have less behavior issues on our buses. Chances are good you will only get a warning. I recommend to all kids who get write ups that they better their chances with the bus driver if they verbally apologize for their behavior and perhaps even write a letter of apology to the bus driver or their fellow students depending on what the situation was. An apology goes a long way with me when it comes to my bus kids. If you have the guts to apologize for your behavior, I am actually LESS likely to follow through and submit the write up to the school because you showed me that you are willing to accept consequences for your actions. (In those cases I usually ask the student to sit in the front seat for a period of time and then at the end give them the write up to tear up or dispose of to drive home the point that they should behave) I suggest you get on the bus tomorrow morning and apologize to the bus driver and own up to your actions. That speaks volumes. Good luck!
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That would depend on school district policy. If your child got kicked off the bus you can demand that the video be reviewed, but you may not be allowed to view it yourself because of the privacy of other students on the bus. What happens is that many parents will see a video and focus on the behavior of other kids on the bus instead of the behavior of their own child. That being said, if you feel your son is being wrongfully accused then you do need to ask them to follow up and pull the video tape to clear your child's name.
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It depends on the districts policy on the matter. Check with your district.
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If the bus is at an intersection letting off children, the best thing to do is simply sit and wait until the bus clears the area. When in doubt, stop. You don't want to be responsible for the death of a child because you thought you could drive around the bus.
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Well given we are experiencing overcrowding ourselves here due to lack of drivers available, I welcome you to contact your local bus shop and go through the class to become a bus driver. Then and only then will the route be split up so that overcrowding can be alleviated. Otherwise (and this sounds harsh) drive your own kid or squeeze in a seat. If the overcrowding does continue you can call the bus yard to see if there are alternative options as well.
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The easiest thing to do is call the bus barn to let them know of a missing item. The driver can then search the bus. If the item is missing from the bus, then its likely someone picked it up. If that is the case you can ask to see if they can pull the cameras to see who did it but more often than not the cameras wont pick up much if a kid is being sneaky. Good luck.
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That depends on the local bus depot and district contracts. In my district we get paid year round so even through the summer we get a paycheck. It often means our monthly pay is lower than normal than if we were to only get paid for the months we actually work but it balances out because then we aren't left without pay during the times when school is out. Pay is often low enough that drivers have to take on second and third jobs just to support their families.
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Yes. For safety reasons, we can pull the bus over if it is unsafe to continue to drive the bus while the kids are otherwise distracting the driver. Consider this, if you are driving down the road and you have 45 children sitting behind you being rowdy, throwing stuff out the window, being a hazard to other drivers on the road, shouting and screaming, and otherwise distracting you from hearing an ambulance that just ran a red light because of an emergency and struck the bus because you couldn't hear it due to the confusion.... would you rather the bus driver have pulled over and waited five minutes and your child be alive instead of in an accident? If this is becoming more of an issue, I suggest you find alternate transportation for your child.
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Legally speaking federal speed limit for school buses is 55 mph.
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Did you get off the bus to use the bathroom and did you let the driver know where you were going or ask the driver if you could use the bathroom? If she let you off to use the bathroom and you returned expecting to get back on then you should have been let back on. If you assumed she would let you back on without notifying her then how would she have known where you were if you were either not on the bus to begin with or there on time when she was to pull off from school grounds? Typically if a student asks me if they can use the restroom, I let them provided its not too soon to their destination/school or a reasonable time to ask them to wait (5-15 minute time frame) I also take into consideration the age of the child and where their bus stop falls on my route. If they are my last stop, I will often let them use it more often than my first stop as that child is usually on the bus for 45 minutes to 60 minutes as opposed to only 10 to 15 minutes average.
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If you got a ticket in your personal vehicle for not wearing your seat belt, then you should probably simply own up to your boss about the infraction. If your boss is anything like mine is, he or she may tell you just not to worry about it since it did not happen on the bus. That being said, its always better to be up front than to let them discover the infraction when they update your file and pull your driving history.
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1. Don't throw stuff.2. Don't throw stuff.3. Don't throw stuff.
Now that that's out of the way... the bus driver had every right to write you up for throwing stuff on the bus as well as everyone else involved in throwing the seat stuffing. I also hope that the driver and school makes you all clean the bus and repair the seat that was damaged. Just because you tried to tell them to stop doesn't negate the fact you threw it eventually yourself.
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If you feel comfortable approaching the driver, you can always talk to a driver at the stop, however most drivers are on a time schedule so if you send a note with your child and have it ask the driver to either call you at their leisure or explain the situation in the note, the driver can then address the situation. Either way, I do suggest leaving your phone number as a point of contact for the driver so that they can follow up with you and get clarification with the situation or at least you have then reached out to the driver to get some resolution to a situation. I encourage all my bus parents to contact me if they have issues or concerns and I encourage them to text me or call me or write notes to me so that I can address behavior issues or other problems that crop up on the bus. Good luck, I hope you get the situation resolved!
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It depends on the type of questions asked. If one of my bus kids comes to me with a concern about their home life, I might ask questions to further determine the type of advice I would give or whether further school intervention is necessary to protect the child. For example if they mentioned they had no power on at home I would listen to conversations with other students before asking questions of them to find out how they are coping with no power at home. Keeping in mind if they have other resources like a relative or family member that is close by whom they are staying with instead. If they came to me I would have to ask those sort of questions so that I could determine if I needed to report to the school if they needed help.
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At every stop? Not sure to be honest. If this bus is a special needs bus there is likely a monitor on the bus. If the bus is having to talk to parents at every stop I'm not sure what the issue was but there may have been an incident or a route change and this driver felt it best to notify by going door to door. It also depends on the districts policy too.
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It depends on where you are referring to. If you mean stop order in the morning, yes, most drivers have control over that. We also have control over whether or not someone sits with another person through assigned seating. When it comes to loading at schools, we can't control who gets on the bus first but again we can control where people sit through assigned seats.
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I have to say I side with the bus driver on this one to be honest. It is our policy that no students get on any buses when the buses are unattended by an adult. She is right to reprimand you and your fellow students for opening the door and getting on the bus without her there. If an administrator or school official told you to get on the bus without her there then you do have the right to complain and let her know that the administrator told you to get on the bus without her there. Simply taking it upon yourselves to enter the bus without the driver is not okay though. If there is another adult besides the driver telling you to get on the bus without the driver there then I would approach the driver and let her know politely whats going on so she can address it with the school as per the policy of the district.
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You should probably contact the bus yard to have the video tape pulled off the bus and reviewed by the supervisor. If there is a problem with the driver, the tape will show it. If your child is misbehaving, the tape will show it. Double edged sword with that one. Name calling a child is unacceptable, but how much of this is a story the child is saying to downplay his own actions on the bus for getting in trouble? Video tapes are a saving grace and school administrators can review and either clear your child or the bus driver in this case.
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Your best bet is to ask your morning bus driver. Good luck. Also don't annoy your teachers or bus driver with the spinner. I love them if they are used properly. I may stock up on them this summer and hand them out as prizes next year.
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If the bus is making multiple stops on that 40 mph road then the bus may not have time to get up to speed and is travelling slower than the speed limit on that road. That being said if the bus is being unsafe and you have a concern, call it in to the bus company and report it. As far as skipping a neighborhood or designing a route, it also depends on what the bus company's policy is for allowing drivers leniency in designing routes. My district allows the bus driver to decide how the route will be driven and what stops in what order in order to best facilitate getting the kids home as quickly and as safely as possible. Check with your local district.
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Its common for many vehicles to run through buses lights when they are activated. It is still illegal and the bus driver has every right to turn the drivers in to the authorities. Many states have strict fines against running the lights.
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Talk to your bus driver and be honest with her. Also, if you had trash on the bus, it might have solved issues if you simply put the trash in the trash can instead of behind you in the seat. That could lead to you forgetting to take it with you when you get off the bus and throwing it away properly. Additionally, a week with the little kids isn't as bad as it seems. Sometimes its easier to just accept a consequence, remembering to throw the trash away in the trash can instead of leaving it or putting it on the seat for others to find, and moving on.
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That's a double edged sword. If you can control your temper then yes. But if you cannot control your temper then this job is not the right one for you.
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It depends on your districts policies and your job description. Various companies require bus drivers to do different tasks according to state laws and requirements. It also depends on the type of bus it is. For example, regular education buses here in my district do not have seat belts on the bus, but the special needs buses are all equipped with seat belts. Because of this, the special needs buses have monitors on the bus that are required to assist children to and from their seats and ensure that they are properly belted in and secured on the bus. This is for their safety as well as the safety of others on the bus. In other districts, regular education buses have seat belts and it is up to each district's individual policies on enforcement of wearing the belts. Some districts even require their drivers to get out of the bus and assist children in crossing the road by holding up a hand held stop sign. Bottom line, it is all about safety for the kids we transport every day!
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That would depend on the company you want to work for. Talk to the supervisor and ask them. Good luck!
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Short answer, no. Long answer, that depends on your districts policy on the matter. As long as the bus is secured and the children are well supervised then you can get out of the drivers seat to assist children.
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Get that tape off the bus pulled and call the school board and the school bus yard supervisors and get it sorted out that way. No-one should put their hands on a child except to pull them out of harms way in my opinion.
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It depends on the day and the situation but most of the time show respect to get respect is a good rule of thumb to follow.
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It varies state to state on what guidelines a bus driver must follow when designating stops. http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/school_bus_locations/examples.cfm
The previous link provided will give examples of these statutes for a few different states, but generally if the children live close to each other (within reasonable walking distance to where they could meet in the middle at a neutral stop) the bus driver is authorized to make changes to the route according to individual district policies. Basically there needs to be enough warning for drivers on the road to stop between stops with adequate time for the safety of all the students on board and off the bus.
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The best thing she can do is ask the shop mechanics to either loosen the springs on the door or to add lubrication to the handle in order for her to open it and shut it. If it bothers her that much they may opt to give her a bus with an air door that opens by a tap of the button. Of course I'm sure she wouldn't complain if you offered to pay for her to get a massage.
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If there is a safety reason for the hold, then yes we can hold you on the bus. Think of it this way, if there is an oncoming car and the car is not stopping and you have to cross the road, would you rather get hit by a car or held on the bus a little bit longer for your safety. Alternatively if there is a crazy person outside the bus with a gun or a knife would you want the bus driver to protect you, or simply let you off at the stop?
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http://neatoday.org/2013/11/05/bus-drivers-work-to-strengthen-trespassing-laws-on-school-buses/
Basically, a parent stepping up onto the bus uninvited can be considered trespassing or unauthorized and can put students lives in jeopardy. We go through background checks in order to work with students and transport them. Consider this, would you like a random person to step up on your child's bus while the bus was at a different stop? What if that person had a gun or a negative motive to harm children. Point is, we take all precautions to protect the kids on our buses at all costs and if that means asking a parent to stay off the bus, then we do what we have to do. That being said, if I have a sleeping pre-school age child and the child is not wanting to wake up and voluntarily walk off the bus, I will also allow his/her parent to come and get the child, but usually the child is in the front seat to where the parent does not need to go further back in the bus and I will usually place myself between the seats so that the parent can only go as far as their child only.
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Well its likely you're probably only going to get a warning, but if you simply apologize to the driver and let them know you didn't realize eating/drinking was not allowed on the bus, the driver wont write you up because you apologized. I always accept verbal and written apologies from my students. It means a lot more than just ignoring the problem and pretending it didn't happen. Good luck.
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If I remember correctly, it is a law that buses should be on the right hand side of the road on a 4 lane highway if they have to stop at a railroad crossing. This is two fold. One it is safer for kids in general as most people in the USA pass on the left so faster traffic will automatically go around on the left, and two, should the bus become disabled at any point the door is on the right hand side so evacuation of the bus will be easier than having to stop traffic to let kids exit the bus in an emergency on the tracks.
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Short answer, yes, all the seats are visible with the mirror inside the bus. Long answer, sometimes the front two seats are hard to see depending on the angle of the mirror and adjustment of the mirror according to the drivers preference but as those seats are right up front right by the driver, those kids cannot get away with anything without the driver knowing about it.
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Sorry I was on vacation when you asked this. I would probably steer clear of asking out on a date unless you are over the age of 18.
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That would be a question for your supervisor or your boss at your company or bus yard. Every company or district has a different policy on the matter. Check with them and they should be able to tell you what the policy is.
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Sorry for the delay in the answering of this question - Technically, we shouldn't be slamming on the brakes, but that being said, your behavior on the bus should reflect how you want to be treated.. If you feel you are being mistreated by her, then report her. Some districts do not allow their students to listen to music on the bus because it can distract students in an emergency. My policy is headphones in, or the music is off, I don't want to hear what you're listening to. Additionally if you're being loud and obnoxious, she can tell you to quiet down because your being loud can be a distraction to her.
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The bus driver has the authority to assign seats as he or she sees fit so yes they have the authority to assign seats. As for your daughters desire to sit alone, it could be that there is plenty of room when she gets on or off the bus, but there may not be room as the route progresses. You also don't know if there are other kids who get on or off before or after your daughter that take up the spare seats. It is not always practical to have a kid sitting by themselves. Additionally homework should be done at home, not on the bus.
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No there are no laws banning this and in fact many parents become bus drivers so they can drive their own kids to and from school and make a little income on the side. Some districts have their own policies as to the age of the child allowed on the bus with the parent. For example, they cannot be a toddler or infant in a car seat, they must be school age. Some districts do allow parents of young children to take their kids along as long as the child does not disrupt the route and its on a case by case basis. Most parents who drive will put their children in one seat usually right behind them or near them so that there is no chance of issues of favoritism.
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Honestly, no it is not legal to do so, but there may be district policies relating to the matter. I would recommend taking it up with your supervisor and asking what your district policies are in the matter.
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If its digital it varies. If its VHS cassette tape typically record time is 6 to 8 hours of video tape so that usually will be one or two days depending on how short or long the route is.
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Many districts require the regular drivers to provide a route description for substitute drivers. This is not always the case. Sometimes districts rely on computerized route descriptions for substitute drivers. These can be accurate or inaccurate depending on the driver of the route or the actual stops involved in the route. When I was a substitute I found it easier for me to memorize certain routes because the drivers would often be absent or not there because they were doing a trip or otherwise occupied .
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Report the behavior of the kids to the administrators at the school. If you get no action that's why the driver doesn't do much. Personally, I try to have a bus that is well trained and while I cannot control everything that goes on, I can certainly influence it.
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Cookies might help you get back in her good graces. Apologizing might also help too.
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If you didn't have a bus pass then yes. However I am more concerned that the bus driver didn't notice you getting on the bus in the first place. My bus kids know it's okay to ask me if someone new rides my bus and my standard answer is have their parents send a note to school and get a bus pass.
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One with air conditioning.
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Shut up and don't talk back.
Though really if you're upset about it, maybe a phone call to the supervisor might help.
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Yes they are allowed to go back to the school. Stay in your seat and stop switching seats while the bus is moving. She does have the authority to assign seats if you cannot behave. Maybe you should offer to help her out with the route so she won't miss stops.
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Yes. It happens to even the best drivers.
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Many of us have second jobs that we go to during the day. Some are lunch room workers and others like myself work outside the bus job and school system during the day. Some people don't have to work outside the bus so they are either stay at home parents or retirees just looking for a little extra income by driving a bus.
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Nothing surprises me anymore. I had a student shove his way through my door just because he wanted to get off the bus at the wrong stop.
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Think of it this way, would you want a vehicle full of 60 children speeding down an interstate at over 60 mph? The risk of injury is lower the lower the speed of the vehicle. Truthfully, I wish we could speed up a bit more on highways, but it is for student safety.
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Assuming this is the same route run so basically the child was picked up and then before being dropped at school was dropped off at a location not the child's stop. First it would depend on the age of the child. As a general principle we are not supposed to drop a child at any stop other than their designated stop or on school property unless an emergency dictates (bus fire, tornado etc). If there was a behavioral issue the driver should have notified dispatch and the school and you as the parent. Now that being said, I have had a few high school kids forget an item at home in which case i was less than 2 to 4 houses from their stop, i let them off to go get the item and instructed them on where to meet me. Hope this helps.
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It depends on the information disclosed. If its protected by HIPAA laws then it can be disclosed under certain circumstances. For example a diabetic student may need to be known on the bus and other students may be inadvertently made aware of the condition or an older student may be paired with a younger student with issues and may be made aware of those needs in order to alert the bus driver. That being said generally personal information is not shared.
Also while not illegal it is unethical to brake check a student.
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Truthfully, how did the driver even find out? 98 percent of what I hear comes from the kids themselves. Chances are good there was a discussion on what your child did and maybe the bus driver wanted to not encourage the students to follow in her footsteps. That being said, it should blow over in a week or so. If it keeps getting brought up then i would take more issue with it.
On the other hand, whatever your child did obviously had negative consequences and now she is seeing the negative effects and consequences to her actions. Welcome to life.
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Yes, if you are not a typical rider in the morning, it is your responsibility to notify the driver either the night before or by calling the bus yard in the morning so that the driver can know to stop at your stop. We are not mind readers. If we are going slow enough and you are out with other students at a stop then we will pick you up but if your stop is a single stop with no other students its best to call ahead.
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Drug testing happens at random and will usually happen at the pre employment physical. As long as she is prescribed these and her doctor can clear her to drive it should not affect her ability to get cleared to drive a bus.
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Don't become a bus driver. You will forever be searching for ways of making extra money.
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Best part? Seeing smiles and saying good morning to kids. Celebrating victories with them. Showing them I care.
Worst part? Angsty middle school attitudes.
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Fair enough. We do have to go through yearly physicals and pass those before we are allowed to drive. What gets me is that people are allowed to drive those ginormous campers without training.
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Going by "grandpa" is okay though a bit of an odd choice. Allowing a kid to give a hug if the kid wants to is okay. I have several kids who give me hugs when and IF they want. Getting kisses from kids is weird and not something I'd allow. Kids can be overly affectionate and need to be taught boundaries with adults.
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Given that most bus companies are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers at the moment, maybe instead of calling or complaining, you can apply for a job as a bus driver! Until then be patient, the bus will get there or drive your child yourself.
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Most drive thru's have height restrictions that basically prevent buses from going through them.
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Probably child neglect by leaving children sleeping on buses unattended would be an immediate fireable offense.
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This is more of a semi truck driver question than a bus driver question. On most buses it is fairly common to have automatic transmissions and air brakes. We do not have a jake brake system that allows the vehicle to slow rapidly. I don't know about older model buses.
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There is a bus driver shortage everywhere. We aren't paid enough to make it worth our time most days so when an opportunity comes along to make more money we jump on it. This, unfortunately, disrupts students and puts extra strain on other drivers who have to absorb the extra kids.
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Because we are generally shorthanded everywhere. So be ready to get on the bus whenever it gets there.
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Yes. Its disgusting.
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Because we want you waiting on us. When we have subs do our routes, they count on kids standing outside waiting. With mine, as long as you are ready to go, i don't mind if you wait in the doorway inside.
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Sorry for the delay in reply. My worst experience that I can remember is a cross between kids throwing up and a kid who got beaten up by another kid and I had to call for police assistance.
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You're welcome. No they did not lose their job but they did get a lot of crap from fellow drivers for a few weeks. We're human, we make mistakes. We just pray that no child gets hurt.
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Start walking to school or pay for a taxi, then be grateful you have a ride to school on the bus after the 2 weeks is up.
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Supposedly it reduces glare that bounces up from the hood of the vehicle.
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Many retirees drive buses. The limit would depend on how much social security you get etc. Check with your local district.
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Being too cocky on the road is a big one. Not realizing just how big the bus is and how long it takes it to stop. Cutting corners too fast. Hitting mailboxes or trashcans. These are all common rookie mistakes.
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Yes it depends on your district but yes.
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Do you think you should have a drivers license over the age of 66?
Come on, unless there is a serious issue and they can't pass the vision and physicals then it's fine.
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Given they try to maintain discipline on a bus load of kids you have to maintain a level of firmness. Once the kids are in a good groove you can loosen the reins a bit. It all depends on how the kids act.
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Personally, I don't think it's right that a driver calls out a student for that given the circumstances. That being said, as a driver myself, I rarely have to raise my voice or get onto my kids. I keep the radio at a respectable level and oddly, surprise surprise, my kids respond to it by being quiet and respectful in return without being obnoxious because they enjoy the privilege of the radio.
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75 miles long.
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No. We load according to the number of passengers needed and usually plan for that many buses. If something happens, triple up buttercup
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Yes. Or back to the school or over to the police station. Or the driver can have the police called to escort the child off the bus. An unruly child is a hazard to other students and to the driver while driving down the road. The driver has to do what they need to in order to keep control of the bus and the students.
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Luckily haven't had too many bad days though other drivers have had incidents where they witnessed kids being struck by vehicles.
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I needed a job and this offered steady pay and benefits
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Cdl class b, passenger and school bus endorsements, airbrake written test. That is the basics.
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Report it to the bus driver to get it checked out. The driver should be doing a walk around and checking the bus for defects.
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Sure? I mean a hat is a hat is a hat. If you're offended by a hat, I suggest you find a safe space to cry and grow up.
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Yes. It also depends on whether they have students on the bus too. They may be trying to get their students under control too and one of the easiest ways to do that is to simply pull the bus over and wait. If the driver is at a school or near a school they may be killing time before drop off is allowed.
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Define "miles". Most people have a misconception of how far a student is actually allowed to walk and in most states it is right at a mile or a little less. That being said, if the bus left a child on the side of the road without it being a legal bus stop then they are not allowed to do that. However, if you're upset your child had to walk a little bit in inclement weather, please join us or decide to drive them yourself.
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I don't think they are attempting to get drivers in trouble, but rather its a combination of the entitlement complex followed by ignorance of the actual rules. There is an indignation of "can a bus driver actually do x" that many people don't get that we can do it and will do it. Assigning seats is a common frustration. People in general do not like to be told what to do, yet in order to pass certain things we have to follow certain rules. For example, you cannot just drive a car because you want to. You have to have an idea what speed limits are and what the rules of the road are before getting behind the wheel.
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Yep. Every. Dang. Day.
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It depends on the amount of miles a bus drives as to how much fuel it uses. I fuel up on average every 250 miles and get approximately 50 gallons of diesel.
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Yes but video always sets the truth straight.
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Not at the stop = miss the bus. That simple. Had you been there on time you wouldn't be asking the question. That being said, most drivers are on a time schedule. If you are not out when the driver has asked you multiple times to be out. Expect to get left.
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It depends on your region how the DOT physical works though typically it is pretty standard. If your BMI is too high they will send you for a sleep study before they will approve you to drive a bus or any large vehicle like a semi or tractor trailer. If you have diabetes as long as it is well controlled on pills or diet you will be OK. As of right now insulin dependent people are not able to drive a bus. Though that may vary by region. Your sight and your hearing must be OK and your blood pressure must be within normal limits.
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Short answer, yes. The bus driver is allowed to assign seats as he or she sees fit. Yes, they are allowed to confiscate your items if they are a legitimate distraction.
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Sure?
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Not necessarily, like all school employees they are bound to keep things confidential. However if the bus driver is using it against the student or improperly then definitely report it.
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1. Idiots on the road. 2. Idiots on the road running my stop sign. 3. Cleaning up puke.
1. Smiles 2. When kids sing along. 3. When they tell me they had a good day.
Mainly we get low pay for the crap we put up with, so the next time you see a bus driver. Offer a massage or alcohol or some sort of monetary compensation. They'll be your best friend for life.
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Generally only a warning will happen based on the severity of what happened.
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That's a complicated question because there is a driver that is good for every route. Kids respond to different ways of handling them and not all kids respond in the same way. Recently, I had to merge my route with another route and took on an additional 40 to 50 kids. It took about two weeks but I'm finally seeing progress in how these kids are responding to me mainly because of the example set by my original kids.
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If the shoe fits....
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Cross country as in the sport yes. Cross country as in longer than 5 to 7 hours... generally that depends on the trip coordinator whether they get charter or lowball pay us.
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Short answer, no. Don't cuss. Long answer maybe write an apology to him and step to the bus this afternoon with it. Explain that it isn't your normal way of acting and offer to sit in the front for a few days in lieu of getting kicked off. If he holds firm then say thank you anyways and gracefully walk away and find a ride.
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State will refer you back down to local as its simply political. How they choose to spend their money is up to them.
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All strobes on buses that I've seen are clear white. It can be a seizure risk but seizure susceptible people shouldn't be driving.
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Strobe lights on top of the buses are clear. It looks like its white when it flashes but thats just the cover over the light.
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Yes it is, bus drivers have schedules they need to keep. The driver may be waiting to start his or her next route. As long as the bus is off the main part of any road and not impeding traffic a bus driver can stop and "take a break" as you put it.
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Having to see a kid go through hard times and not being able to do much about it.
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There are too many to list.
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Legally speaking, I am not sure. I suppose if mileage is right and they can get some use out of it, i suppose they could do that. Most systems won't use buses older than 20 years but many of our buses are that old if not older.
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Yes and yes. Truthfully though, I prefer other student management methods. Just bring headphones and a good music player.
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I haven't found one yet that doesn't have a height restriction.
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Our stop signs are air operated.
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Her bus her rules.
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Yes. She should have stayed in her seat, called for help, shut the door and drove off.
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Get on the bus or go without a ride to school. Then set your alarm for the new time because it's likely the driver was thrust into doing a double, triple, quadruple run just to get kids to school. Just get on the bus, bring the driver a coffee with creamer and sugar on the side and the driver will be grateful.
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Don't do your homework on the bus.
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Yes. We need drivers.
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Very true. Having some form of discipline is better than nothing.
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I believe the federal law is 14 to 16 hours on the clock 8 hours mandatory off the clock. This is generally for truckers and other long haul drivers. School bus drivers don't usually have to adhere to that federal law.
Consider this. A trip might be 10 hours long but only involves 4 hours worth of drive time (drive there and back) the remaining 6 hours are the activity time for the group you took to the destination.
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Yes. Report it to the proper authorities.
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Yes. It happens.
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Some people don't know the inside scoop on what this job really is about. It takes just a few minutes to answer questions and generally people don't mind hearing answers.
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B for bus driver.
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Yes if the phone is causing a distraction and it is school policy. The school bus is the extension of the classroom and is basically a mobile moving classroom. Do something stupid with your phone, lose the privilege of having it on the bus.
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Because the job is severely underpaid for the hours and dedication we put in as drivers. Lots of places won't hire a person to work part time for the hours that we are available since our schedule is so unique and our pay isn't even close to what would be a livable wage.
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Yes, it's a distraction for the driver and if the driver has asked you to turn it off or turn it down then you can be written up or kicked off the bus. Just do as you're told.
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I have no clue. I know I'm one of the only school bus driver threads?? I'm not entirely sure though.
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Thats unacceptable.
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Because sometimes they can hear that music over their headphones. I try to keep the music at a reasonable level so we all get along.
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Because generally bus drivers don't do the things you accuse them of. The video is proof of them doing nothing wrong. It also depends on what your definition of cussing is and truthfully if the kids were better behaved then there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.
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If you were being obnoxious and rude and disrespectful then possibly. It could be a tactic the driver may use to get the other person to confess to whatever happened. Without knowing the whole situation i can't give an answer.
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Visibility. Visibility. Visibility. It's all about visibility of the bus. A driver is more likely to be aware and alert if the light is flashing rather than solid color.
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Generally speaking no its not advised however if there was an emergency situation like a kid having a seizure and they needed to get help, then I would consider that a grey area.
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Yes. If you are in violation of dress code they can refuse to transport you. Don't violate dress code.
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We use them for visibility reasons. I have no issue with them.
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Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha <gasp> hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Omg thank you for making my night. Truthfully they have a good place but like you said, Susan is too busy planning her nail salon appointment and Joey is asking for a prayer request. On top of Dumbass Debbie who can't find an address that you've told her 8675309 times.....
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Smh. Sometimes you can't teach people and people are idiots.
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If the victim doesnt want charges pressed no. If the victim was also the bus driver then yes.
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No. Whether you can transport him or not should have no bearing on whether he is eligible for school bus transportation. We have many kids who ride mornings only or afternoons only.
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Type d buses are flat nose. Ive driven them before and they have benefits such as better turning radius than traditional buses. It takes a bit of getting used to because your drivers seat is 2 to 4 feet in front of the front wheels so you have to get used to swinging around a bit but its fairly easy once you figure it out.
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Because I love my job.
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First off that's hysterical because it seems the problem is everywhere. That happens in my district too. We even have multiple meetings and announcements on the subject but people still ignore policy. You should talk with your supervisor and see if he or she can make an announcement or have a refresher meeting.
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It depends on the district policies and is generally left up to the personal call of the driver in charge. For example, if I have two middle school or high school kids fighting, I will call the cops. But if the kids are elementary, scrawny and tiny, I'll intervene before they beat the snot out of each other.
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Uh. What? If his supervisor showed up then he should have let the supervisor on the bus.
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Subs have a more difficult job than regular drivers because they do take the brunt of problems if a kid misbehaves or is not out at the stop. That being said no route is without problems and problem kids. The trick is to figure out how to approach it.
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Mine go wag wig. Though in all actuality its likely to do with the visibility of the bus. Flashing lights alternating catch the eye faster than simple flashing lights.
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Again situational. Depending on the situation at hand the rule states no phone use primarily. That being said if he wasn't a normal driver he might not have thought about it. Truthfully, I've taken phone calls but usually make them brief as unless its an emergency it can wait.
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The bus driver is given the code by the association that owns the gate and generally like everyone else has to press in the code to open the gate. Some gated communities are open during certain periods of the day like commuter times to allow buses in and out. Some are open during the day and close only at night. Some require a remote to open and the bus is provided with that. There's ways around it. Some communities have a gate guard that will let a bus in and out.
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I suggest bringing coffee and donuts to the driver. You might get a hug then.
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Make them clean it up.
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A lot of learning. I had to think outside the box and then learn on a steep learning curve to manage students.
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No but some of the highschool kids come close
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Write them up and turn them into the administration. Generally i try to handle problems before they get out of control though.
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You're welcome.
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Hahaha
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Honestly i am so busy i havent had time for my blog. I might resume it.
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No there isn't a difference that I can see though different states may have different requirements.
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Unions are slippery slopes.
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Nothing. Kids think its a privilege but we see everything that happens.
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Generally I save citations for extreme situations like if a kid punches another kid in the face and blood is drawn or if a weapon is brought on the bus. There are some drivers that will write a kid up for nothing or minor stuff. The only other time I might use a citation is if I've exhausted going to the parent and the parent has refused to do anything about the behavior. Then and only then do I document what I've done and send it on to the school to handle.
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No not illegal.
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Write them up.
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Control. There are many different ways to exert control over a bunch of kids. Some people do it through intimidation and scare tactics. I prefer a more practical approach. Treat them like I want to be treated.
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I'm not entirely sure but it has to do with the make and model of the bus. Some school buses are 72 passenger and others are 90 passenger and still others are even less. So it just depends on the need of a company.
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515 to 545 am then drag my butt to the bus at 6 am
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It depends on the district and company. My district pays us in the summer but that means they withhold money from us all school year to pay us in the summer. We are contracted for 180 days but they take that and spread that over 12 months. Summer school and other extra things like field trips and alternative school runs and mid days are considered extra so they pay us a minimum hourly rate for that. For example, I'm doing summer school so I am allowed to put down 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon for transportation.
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Not 30 years but many of our drivers are topped out at over 20 years of service. I could definitely see myself doing this long term, but when i think of what else I could do, I don't see myself leaving my bus babies. But then again things change. I never thought in a million years that I would be a bus driver. It certainly wasn't my first choice but is my best choice for a job.
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Honestly, I've never heard of that. We joke all the time on the radio and cut up and have a good time. Sometimes adding a little humor to the day is the only way we survive.
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There is a driver for every route. Some drivers just work better with some kids than others. I'm sure to some kids I seem mean but to others, I'm their favorite.
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It depends on the district and situation. Some districts require you to cross children yourself to prevent more accidents which requires you to regularly leave your seat. Other districts have a strict policy of no unattended bus.
Personally if I have to speak with a parent or teacher for longer than just 30 seconds in order to protect the privacy of a child I'll step off the bus.
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I slowed down on answering them. Time constraints on my part.
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Maybe dont distract her?
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Generally no.
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Personally it's not something i would have done but if she got permission from the bus company then ok? Personally, ive had to go to the bathroom before but ill ask a school administrator or employee to watch my bus while i go use the facilities.
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Thats why all the strobes ive seen are white. The student lights do strobe on their own on newer buses for visibility reasons.
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That's okay!
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Call the bus shop and ask them to redo the route in the system. Also another way to get on a substitutes good side is for you to offer to show them the route then be good about telling them turn left, turn right, stop just after this white mailbox, green trash can, orange car.... etc. The less a sub has to deal with other kids screaming in their ears the better.
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Because we like torturing kids. I really don't know the real reason.
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Probably 80 to 90
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Depending on the situation would be when I'd make that judgement call. Typically its best to not interfere unless life is at stake and you know you can save a life.
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Because you asked this question.
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It depends on how the kids are to us for many of us but some people are just plain mean. I prefer a quiet approach. I rarely yell, say please and thank you to my kids and they respond much better.
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Reprimanded, no. As the rider you need to be ready for the bus to come at any point. Generally we tell our kids be ready 10 minutes early just incase. Generally if the sub is following the driver's instructions then it's your fault you missed the bus. Most buses stop and other kids are getting on at the same time.
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The bus makes a beeping noise and it engages slowly to slow the bus down.
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You can ask for the video tape to be pulled off the bus and reviewed by the administrators. Truthfully if he was consistently not staying in his seat and the administration saw that, then they are justified in suspending him. He may also have thrown an object not just dropped it. Point is there should be video of the incident in question. If he was suspended unfairly, the video would show and clear his name.
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This is true. Radio usage is monitored and restricted by district.
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There are hour restrictions on all cdl class a and b drivers but whether companies follow them is up to the company.
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No drinks is no drinks.
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Yep.
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Both are about the same it just depends on experience. Yes i do have a bit of an accent.
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Report it to the boss and the boss goes and gets the meat if its a deer. If its a smaller animal like a squirrel we don't generally report it. If its a dog or a cat we let the boss know that way if an angry parent calls he can say keep your animal inside next time.
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Meow meow mrow meowwww meowwww rowrrrrr hisssss.
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Some people just aren't morning people, other people just don't like people. Sometimes these people are forced to get a job doing something they don't care to do. Personally, a job is what you make it.
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If yelling was a reason to lose a job, I'd have been fired a long time ago.
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Wear earplugs? Or get your fellow students to sit down, behave, and stop doing shit that will get them yelled at.
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Give her a chance to show ya'll how she operates. Also don't be jerks to her just because of what you hear. A bit of peer pressure goes a long way when it comes to handling behavior.
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Some drivers have old fashioned rules but it doesn't mean that they are wrong. Generally though to avoid harassment or problems I will sit boys with boys and girls with girls.
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We have Bluebirds and International bluebirds on our yard. I don't have experience with any other type of bus.
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Come apply and find out for yourself how bad the shortage is. It's bad enough that I am not allowed to be sick even if i get hospitalized by a doctor.
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Maybe stop acting out on the bus. Or don't ride if you don't like it. You always have other options including your own two feet and the wheels of a bicycle.
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I prefer they didn't eat on my bus because I don't want them to choke while the bus is moving. I understand that kids will be kids and they will eat, but as long as they're responsible about it and do not leave a mess or create more problems i generally won't say anything.
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Call 911. No really. Call 911 lol. Most of the time it depends on the kind of emergency it is. We are all CPR and basic first aid certified so we can handle things like choking and stuff but generally we call for help.
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No thank goodness.
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I've had my share of bad buses. Probably one that I've had to call the cops to
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Idk what you're talking about??
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Depends on the context and how many other ears were around to hear the cuss word. If i have all highschoolers, I've been known to relax the rules a bit and cut up with them because God knows they've heard worse already.
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What were you doing with the water? If it was being thrown or tossed or otherwise not being used appropriately yes, they can throw it away. Stop doing stupid crap.
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So, you didn't learn a basic rule which is do not touch or play with something that isn't yours. Congratulations. You just learned something new. We do try to educate students but when they miss a crucial lesson that is taught in grade school or choose to ignore it and mess with something that isn't theirs, they can expect to have consequences.
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Yes, though generally if I have to eat and drive I choose easy stuff like chicken nuggets or something that isn't messy and I can deal without having much on it.
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Nah I call it a year or a term it's both.
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It depends on the district. I know that we get approximately 11 sick days every year to use, and we max out sick days at 45 though we can accumulate more than 45. If we have more than 50 at the end of the year we get a 500 dollar bonus. We get 3 personal days per year. Vacation is strictly whatever school schedule is. Leave types are case by case basis and approved by administration.
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Are other kids getting on your bus while you wait at.the bus lot? There may have been some changes to where other drivers are forced to hold other kids while the now empty drivers go out and pick up more kids. Personally I time my route so that I don't have to wait in line.
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This is not the q&a to answer that.
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They can still attempt to sue the school and driver but then they'd have to explain why they had tobacco products on school property. According to the federal law it is illegal to bring drugs on school property. Tobacco is considered a drug. They'll be laughed out of the court.
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We go through background checks but even those aren't foolproof.
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Not that I've seen but it would be awesome if we did have air horns. People are gonna run our stop signs regardless.
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I would speak with the driver first. Be careful accusing other kids of actions. The bus is a very delicate balancing act.
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It just shows me the name of the person who asked the question. It sends me an email notification saying someone asked a question. I don't see anymore than the question itself and the name you chose like in this case its Raven
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Take photos of your bus that's been clean and document document document. If you're writing kids up for little things then maybe its time you found another job?
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Because kids tear stuff apart.
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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.
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Would you walk out in traffic when there is a stoplight without the crosswalk sign? Or how about without looking both ways. Stay off the road, wait for the bus and driver to tell you when it's safe to cross and you won't be roadkill.
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That depends on your district's requirements. Most school buses have air brakes to my knowledge but there are a good many that don't have them. Check with your local district.
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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.
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You call a tow truck and the mechanics. Then put out the hazard triangles to show motorists of the hazard of your vehicle in the road.
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What other weird rules are you talking about?
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My kid is getting bullied but they called such and so a name first..... or can you come later we don't get up that early. Or can you take my kid on my overcrowded first run because I'm too lazy to make other arrangements.
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If the parent is being unreasonable, let them know they can continue the issue with your supervisor and shut the door in their face. Bus riding is a privilege not a right.
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The thingamajigger is likely the digital camera system. The blinking light says its running. There may be a red button on it that the driver can push for automatic student ejection (just kidding) though really if they push that button it marks the tape and allows the driver to return to that moment in order to view what happened on video. Other flashy items on the dash may be the student lights or the left or right indicators.
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Yes it's true at least for my district. Personally that is on individual bus drivers call but as for me I am not a babysitter therefore i refuse to wait any longer than i have to.
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You're welcome! Hope my answer helps you. And thanks for the awesome question!
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I don't have experience driving larger city buses though i have driven the smaller handicap buses before. With any job there are ups and downs.
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It depends on your district policy. Some won't allow kids that may be injured or hurt on the bus due to liability. Nosebleeds might fall under that category. I would check with your local district.
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You have to be crazier than the kids.
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No. No. No. I generally try to get through to all my bus riders and make them feel welcome on my bus regardless of past behavior or issues.
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Apologize to the sub and then my kids and I have a lecture route where I tell them what I expect from them when I have to be out. If they give me more trouble, they don't like the consequences.
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Identify the stereotypes and I'll confirm or deny.
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Yayyyyy!!! *does happy dance*
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That depends on the district. Some districts choose for drivers other districts let drivers choose the stops and times. If you want something changed, talk politely to your driver about the policy on how to go about doing that.
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One is sequential and the other is non sequential sequential? My guess is that you may be referring to the student lights. When they alternate thats non sequential but they still all work sequentially together. Whereas the hazard lights are flashing all together at once.
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Um probably?
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Nope but many of my highschoolers could compare.
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Thats probably an advertisement? I don't have any personal images on here.
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So students whined and got their way.
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What one?
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Strobes are there for visibility. Sometimes its just the preference of the manufacturer as to where to put it and how its installed. The newer strobes flash brighter and more often for higher visibility.
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What brought about them threatening you in the first place?
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Generally bus stops are decided either by the driver or by the district. If someone has a problem with the location of the stop they just need to contact the district.
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They already have limited brain cells.
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2016 bluebird vision with an air conditioner retrofitted.
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Never heard of her but I'll check her out.
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That's a good idea actually. Sadly, coaches do not see it this way and neither do the bureaucrats in the school board offices. They do what they want to do.
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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.
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Ask your dad for a ride or start walking to school. Or call an uber?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Yep.
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I'll check it out.
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I've had a parent step up on my bus and shout in my face before. Generally once they say what they want to say it's over. Occasionally they will get so riled up that they will ignore bus driver requests to exit the bus and we have to call the police. The police can then arrest them for trespassing.
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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.
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If the pay was decent, yes.
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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.
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We can take items away if they are causing a problem, but generally we aren't allowed to keep the items, they have to be claimed by a parent. That being said, don't argue, apologize, and let the driver keep said item for the time being. When you go to get off the bus, ask the driver for the item back and see what the driver says.
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Motorcoaches are a different kind of bus and they have different standards.
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Yes I have seen co workers gotten pulled over. They were speeding. One had kids on the bus. Although both co workers got off with warnings, one was fired the other was given a very stiff warning not to let it happen again.
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No its not illegal. Rude yes. Illegal no. Also turn that horseshit off.
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Honestly they're pretty chill. They don't freak out unless you do something dumb like slam on the brakes. They may get a little excited over something that's unusual but you have to realize they are kids. Most of the time if you chill out with them they will respect you.
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Lol well did they say it to her face? Don't say it behind someone's back. Seriously, grow up and quit acting like an asshole people.
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Acorns and he called them nuts.
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Because a sub doesnt know how the regular driver runs the route and their driving style is different from the regular drivers style
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I'm not exactly sure.
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Not at the moment. We are offering drive thru breakfast lunch services 2 days a week here but if this continues we will probably look at other options.
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Probably pouring down rain where I could not see a few feet in front of me and I had to stop due to a tornado warning.
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That every bus has air conditioning. That it's an easy job to make 50 to 100 kids sit down.
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Sometimes but its not my bus per say it belongs to the county so they can do what they want
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Honestly i have no clue!! I'm going to answer his question later today
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It's a truthful article. There's a lot to consider in laying off bus drivers and having contracted companies in limbo.
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Samantha, let me break it down for you. It's illegal to have tobacco products on school property. Therefore if the product got damaged, flushed, stomped on, otherwise destroyed, the person doing it would be well within their rights to do so. Buses are considered school property. Stop asking the question to get the answer you want to hear because its not going to happen point blank.
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Every district runs their buses differently as do drivers run their routes differently. Lots of things that happen in movies are unrealistic to the "real" world as you put it but movie directors aren't thinking about reality, only the fantasy they are creating for the viewer to see. In a fantasy world, all students would sit down, behave, and not bully each other but we both know that's a fantasy too!
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No
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Thanks for noticing it. I just deleted the spam questions and will be addressing the other questions later today.
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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.
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It depends on the district's policy and practices what routes are what.
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Not unless you want to be removed from the bus by the police in handcuffs.
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Live in the area in which they drive.
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Its a funding question. Some districts hire outside private companies. Others depend on the local public transportation for school children hence the need for a bus pass. Some districts charge parents a yearly sum others, nothing, it all depends on where their money comes from. Bus riding is a privilege not a right. Therefore it takes money to maintain buses, train and keep qualified drivers, and fuel costs. Some districts just do it differently.
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Most school buses are now automatic shifting so jake brakes are not necessary or needed.
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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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Find another job.
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She cannot get fired for doing her job and checking the bus for sleeping kids. We can get aggravated and upset at kids that sleep but understand that you're human.
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They pretty much let us decide our routes based on the number of kids that ride, where the stops are, and how to do it. Every state is different and every county is different. When I talk about timing I usually mean that I pull into the schools so that I do not have to wait in line. Our schools have specific times in which the kids are allowed to enter the building. Most drivers end up getting there early and wait in line for the doors to open.
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We wish we could but we can't.
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See my previous answer.
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Have you tried asking her to put stuff back how she found it?
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No my bus number used to be 68 now its 14.
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Tobacco products are forbidden on school property. Buses are school property. If a kid has an e-cig, its illegal. That being said, generally I would confiscate it and turn it in to administration. I've also been known to look the other way on certain runs when it's strictly highschool kids if they have dip or other items as long as they don't make a scene with it or are obnoxious about it. Basically don't blow a smoke cloud on my bus or you will get caught.
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Not that i know of.
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Many people in education come from a varied background. Lots of drivers I know are very liberal and some are conservative as well. There are lots of people that have differing opinions on political views. That's not to say that our views are right or wrong. Many of us are living pay check to pay check and have seen the harsh reality of the service industry so when we get somebody that wants to offer free stuff we have a question about the legitimacy of the offer.
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I'm not really sure to be honest. That would be a question for a mechanic.
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It depends on the district and the company. Most districts/companies are moving away from mileage and going towards a flat hourly pay scale for drivers. This reduces paperwork and allows for better flexibility in pay increases. That way a driver who has only been there 5 years isn't making more than a driver that's been there 15.
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Unions have their benefits and disadvantages. It depends on the state you live in as to how well a union would work for you.
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Depends on the state you live in.
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That depends on the district. Most districts prefer drivers to try to get along and strike a balance with their bus kids.
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Actually thats a good solution. If your regular driver runs late but the sub runs on time then the transportation needs to be aware so that they can make changes to the route so kids don't miss the bus by mistake.
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Maximum hours? We go over those all the time but don't tell DOT that. Sometimes they will allow 2 drivers to tag team a trip but more often than not we just push through it.
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It sounds like the monitor might not need to be on the bus but you can ask for video to be pulled which has audio recording and it will also show if your child was showing out and the monitor was correcting her by telling her to sit down and behave. We have a lot of kids who try to get us as drivers in trouble for saying things when they are angry they got in trouble in the first place.
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You're welcome, generally if it's a bullying issue I tend to take a more proactive approach but have both the victim and the bully sit closer to me so I can hear what is being said. For other complaints, I take on a case by case basis and either try to work a solution or refer them to my supervisor if they are being petty.
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That's hard to say and also depends on the individual districts. I'm sure the extenuating circumstances will be taken into account when deciding what to do. The issue is in many rural areas kids do not have access to online like urban areas do and that puts them at a disadvantage.
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There have already been some layoffs in some districts. Most districts, I believe, will still in some way be paying their employees their contracted amount. Given that school is a necessary thing and that some jobs such as bus driving can be modified temporarily to accommodate the needs of the students, it is unlikely that things are going to never be needed.
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Sometimes renovating a decent building is worth it, but sometimes your best course of action is to start fresh.
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That is exactly the reason why we ask students to be ready 5 to 10 minutes before stop time so they are ready to go. So they cannot be held liable.
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Remember that kids are people with emotions and worries like adults. Sometimes their shoulders are holding the world and they can't help it.
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You can ask, but its not a guarantee if the child in question is not being a bully to begin with. I would start with asking if your child can be moved to a place thats within closer earshot of the driver so that they can keep a better eye on your child.
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That would depend on your district and the bus driver. You could ask but chances are good the driver will say no.
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Summer school, yes. Charter, no. Though we have been asked by people outside the schools to provide a bus occasionally for local in town functions.
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Some districts require drivers to find their own subs, others choose for them. In my district its a mix. If you have a midday or an extra route, you are responsible for finding your own sub. But if you have to be off your regular route then you have that covered by them.
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I use duct tape.
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Hahaha i saw that yesterday
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Yes. It is.
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He might be trying to figure out the best way to do the route. If the problem continues for the next 2 weeks and a time isn't picked then complain to the district.
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Lol I find myself stopping at railroad crossings in my personal vehicle and when I'm out in the grocery store and I see a child acting out I will give them the bus driver stare.
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Happens here all the time. The radio can be tied up for 10 minutes or longer on non essential crap.
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Being this has happened a few times while I've been on the bus, generally if we can get the kids to safety, we do so. That usually means a business, other school, or other means of shelter. If we can't we can scope out best and worst case scenarios incase the inevitable does happen. One time we had to evacuate into a middle school and another time we evacuated into a local government office.
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Most of the time we follow the posted speed limit. Though the maximum speed we should go is 55, it can be dangerous in a highway situation so we tend to bend the rules and top out the buses usually if they're governed at 60 or 65 in order to not impede traffic. Some companies and districts do not govern their buses and those are the ones we see most often speeding way faster than they need to be with kids lives at stake. Personally I don't think i could go faster than 59 to 61 with children on board.
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Lol my pleasure.
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Generally if someone chooses to watch explicit material they are discreet about it and use headphones. I can usually tell if something isn't right by the looks on kids faces and whether or not they draw a crowd. With the added availability of technology everywhere, explicit material is widely available to even the youngest person. If someone were to be reported for watching porn, I would have to write them up and confiscate the device.
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It depends on the manufacturer and state regulations as to what is required to be on a bus.
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Still illegal.
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Moat districts have a time schedule for buses listed and yes if there was someone who wanted to harm children this could be a problem. The only major issue i see is where you mentioned the names of kids listed.
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Thanks, ill be sure to do that the next time it happens!
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Personally if the person asked (not demanded) i would be far more receptive to it. However i do respect that people choose to be identified by different pronouns than their physical gender and that it can be a sensitive subject for some people.
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That's a personal choice. Long as they aren't homicidal or anything like that towards the kids personal beliefs shouldn't enter into whether or not a person is effective in doing their job.
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It depends on the district. We are shorthanded everywhere so overcrowding is bound to happen. Routes are made longer and schools are not changing the way they do things to accommodate the sheer number and stress we are under. The amount of kids also depends on the location of the route. A rural route is less crowded but longer whereas a city route can be very crowded at times.
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Again it depends on district and district policy on how they run routes.
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They get pretty loud. From the drivers seat it doesn't sound too loud, but moving away from the noise of the engine it can get really loud. The bass and treble are marginal at best.
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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.
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I had to look up that term. Often parents don't want to hear that their children did something wrong and will often deflect or attempt to deflect the problem in order to draw attention away from their children's behavior.
An example: little Johnny hit on the bus.Momma: well little suzie told him to!
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Generally some people get irritated if things are holding them up. The polite thing to do would be to move to let others out and put your hazards on while you wait for the principal to attend to your bus. This way you're not holding up the line. If I'm late to my school in the afternoons I'll hold up traffic to let my co workers out before picking up my kids. Its just polite.
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Truthfully, I haven't had any weird or odd items brought on my bus. Though once I had a pre k kid bring a bag of acorns on the bus and tell me to look at his nuts. I told him to put his nuts away and that they were very nice nuts. Another kid asked if they could hold his nuts and I had to say no you cannot hold his nuts.
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I've never heard of vacuum brakes or doors but I can explain manual doors, air brakes, and standard brakes. On a majority of buses, there is an air system that controls the door, stop sign, crossing arm, and brake system. There is a compression tank that fills to capacity when the bus is turned on. Some drivers are required to "bleed" the brakes when the bus is switched off (more on that in a few). When the system is working properly the items come out like they're supposed to and they operate properly. Of course there are overrides for the systems. In both the drivers seat and in the door frame there is a switch that will override the stop system and shut it down if its malfunctioning. The door has an emergency override switch that allows the air to be released so you can open the door in the case of an emergency. Note that manual doors do not have this. They are operated by the driver manually with a hinge that the driver uses to open and close the door from the driver seat. Air brakes are similar in that there is an override for them but it requires you to bleed the tank by pressing the brake pedal till the emergency parking brake pops out and the brakes set on the bus. Some buses do not have this and have the standard brake system found in all cars.
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See my former answer he's probably trying to figure out proper timing.
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It depends on a district's needs and financial situation. Not every district can afford charter buses (or in this case yellow buses outfitted to be charter buses). Most of the time saving athletic trips or the very rare reward trips, those buses would sit on the yard unused. Then there is the fairness issue. How do we decide which teams or groups get priority over others during the busy season. Instead i would rather see money being spent on newer buses in the fleet to benefit ALL students not just those that do extracurricular activities. Many buses are still not equipped with air conditioning (even in the south) which makes for very hard conditions for drivers and students every day. Why spend money on an extra dvd system when you can get two buses for the price of one charter bus.
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It can cause more of a danger in some areas that's why many of us avoid highways with greater speed limits so as to watch out for the safety of our kids.
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Because there are some districts and states with a very strict publicity policy
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Yes. Can't tell you because I don't want to get fired. No specific company or district is the best it just depends on what works for the employees. Starting salaries vary from district and company to district and company as does support and all that jazz. Sometimes it is hard.
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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.
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School boards don't like to spend money if they don't have to. One of the first things to go out of a budget is transportation funds.
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There may be charter trips and those use buses that may be school buses as well?
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Yes. I do. Mostly Friday, Saturday, and Sunday though I will pick up the occasional trip other days.
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I don't know?
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Drivers names aren't bad to have on there. Parents can look up a route then call the shop and say hey i found my kids route with x driver and it helps the shop narrow it down so parents can get in contact with the driver.
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It happens that we make mistakes and pull put in front of people if there are blind corners as what appears in the video here.
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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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Again that varies district by district. Some districts have a sub list, others have an automated system and still others will have the traditional call in and have your supervisor find somebody to run your route.
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Yes. If the driver is telling you and others where to sit you do not get to dictate who sits where and with who. Sorry it doesn't work that way. Slide in and make a new friend.
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Mostly because when you're a younger driver you are more of an age peer than an authority figure. They figure it out real quick when you write them up for their bullshit.
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Because we don't live in a Leave It To Beaver world. Instead we live in a get your butt up on time so you don't miss transportation to school world. Because the real world transportation doesn't care if you miss the bus or train or plane to that meeting with your boss.
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Go to the transportation department. If you cannot get a resolution that way then elevate it to the superintendent.
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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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Thats a good idea. My q&a definitely seems to be popular.
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It's always best to have a cdl class b to drive any commercial vehicle but it depends on the company's requirements.
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Again every driver has different standards.
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That happens with most vehicles when something triggers the electrical system to malfunction. When the fire heats up the electrical system it shorts out and melts together likely causing the systems connected to go off. That is why you see and hear car alarms, flashing lights, and the horn when something like that happens till the fire finally kills the system entirely.
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If I could be guaranteed not to lose my job, yes. But too many people don't like social media and I have already gotten in trouble for it thats why I stay anonymous.
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Report the driver to the district. Also don't stand on the bus.
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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.
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Because some kids would never come to school if transportation wasn't provided. Some parents just do not care about their kids education or can't be bothered to make sure they go to school.
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Buses are customizable in many ways. The standard basic bus has your drivers seat, steering wheel, student seats, the classic yellow body, and all the lights as required by state. Newer buses will have LED lights as these last longer. Newer buses also have a DEF system that allows for fuel to be processed cleaner than others. The customizable options are more for driver and passenger comfort like air conditioners, air ride seats for the driver, adjustable steering wheels, cruise control (some states do not allow cruise control to be used), speed governor, electric mirrors that both adjust and defrost control from inside the bus, whether to use an air brake system or not. Whether to make the bus automatic or not. Seatbelts in some states.... the options really are endless and depends on what each district needs in a bus.
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Yes.
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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.
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No the driver cannot get into trouble. It is the student's responsibility to get out to the bus on time. Bus drivers are on a time schedule. It is not the fault of the driver that the student stayed after at the teacher's request. We are not taxi's.
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There is a shortage everywhere. It's unfortunate the company did not have coverage to transport the child to and from school however if the hiring is falling with the school board then the school board needs action
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Most bus companies have a radio system that allows buses to communicate with each other. Though generally the frequency is not available to the public and we cannot communicate with other buses outside the district. Occasionally our frequencies will interfere and interact with the 911 tone out for emergency response and we hear the dispatch. Or can hear the police channel of another city.
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Better to be safe than sorry. You wouldn't want to chance a child getting hurt.
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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.
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School districts do not have crystal balls indicating how weather is going to go. Sometimes it's a gamble and they release early and nothing happens. Other times stuff like that happens.
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Yes, some routes take upwards of 2 hours. Earliest stop I've heard is around 5:45 am. Though depending on the location of the children it can be slightly earlier to be able to get them and others to school by 7:15 am.
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If my kids are waiting on the porch or at the door ready to dash out to the bus (not walk slowly) i will wait. However that is generally an exception.
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I would love to see these standard on all buses. I would also love to see more lights to flash even more to help a driver see the bus in question.
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No, i live too far south to employ the use of snow chains.
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I think they went too far in firing a person over their religious beliefs.
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Its bus drivers choice really. Ask your driver?
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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.
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Nope, the more the merrier. I only have my opinion so another driver may add their own opinion to questions.
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Hello dear angry viewer. I'm sorry if I have pushed some buttons that caused you to get a little upset. If you take the time to read through the 400+ questions that have been asked and answered I often get repeat questions. Some have been removed because they were duplicates of other questions, and still others were removed because someone opted to spam my q&a like a juvenile person. Sometimes a person asks a question that makes no sense whatsoever so i do invite them to share details and get a more detailed answer.
My snarky demeanor is just part of who I am. Take it or leave it.
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It is sad and year after year we have more kids get hit by other drivers who don't pay attention.
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Not personally but there have been a few fires in my district. Thankfully no students injured and in both the fire was quickly extinguished by either the driver or the fire department. As for your other question which has been removed i took items out of my bio that i felt could be used to narrow it down to where i am and my district. Its a protection.
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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.
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You're welcome.
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Merry Christmas. Many small parochial schools utilize a busing system similar to public schools, but I think you are referring to the buses that have been converted to other use by churches after they are done being buses. While not illegal that I know of, the laws may vary from state to state.
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Because many people reserve Sunday as a day of worship for God.
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The reason for that is that the driver isn't expecting you at a different stop. Now if my kids and I work out a dual stop arrangement if they miss the bus on first pass then that is different. New drivers fresh out of training are told the rules of the district and adhere to them more strictly.A perfect example was last year i had 2 families that used the same babysitter. More often than not on early mornings every 3 weeks or so the babysitter would have all the kids get on at one stop or the other. I knew this and both families so it wasn't a huge deal. The problem comes from kids running to catch the bus and the potential for them getting run over.
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Probably because the beginning of the year has dropped off. I'll generally get another surge of questions in January.
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I would like to see something like this but it could get abused by parents. I think it could be regulated by each district and company. That way the company can relay info to parents without giving up location info to parents for safety of children.
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Chris farley.
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Pandora. Usually kids stations or holiday appropriate stations.
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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.
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Never heard of it.
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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.
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Some things are outdoors events so they are affected by the weather. Other times road conditions may be dangerous for travel. Each school system takes these things into consideration before cancelling activities.
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Generally teachers kids fall under a different category of kids and at least in my district they allow them to transport between buildings.
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In larger cities like New York they have buses that have passenger doors on both sides which allow for loading on both sides without the need for crossovers. Supposedly this eliminates a danger facing students crossing in front of the bus, but i think it just causes more issues. Some buses are equipped with an emergency door on the side of the bus instead of in the rear if their engines are rear engines.
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Probably. Just don't do it because you can lose your riding privilege. Don't say i didn't warn you.
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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.
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Sit in traffic. There isn't much to do unless a good viable alternative is found. Sometimes we have no choice.
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Im assuming you meant school bus fleet. Ive heard of it but not read many articles on it.
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Visibility. Most older buses will have one stop sign and one crossing gate. Newer buses will have 2 stop signs and 1 crossing gate. In some states they are even piloting a program where they are extending the stop arm out about 5 feet into the opposing lane to make it even more visible and make sure drivers know to STOP!!! The biggest issue we have as drivers is the sheer number of people who ignore our flashing lights and stop signs even though they had plenty of warning to stop. It's an epidemic and I fear the day my bus kids are going to get hurt over it.
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Yes. If the kids fighting draws blood in any way shape or form, i immediately call the police. If i am close enough to a school i have the administrators called out. If not i tell parents and write up kids.
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We went back January 6.
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Because people are just plain nosy.
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It depends on the district and the company. Sometimes, districts have to consider how they would look to the general public if their personnel did certain things so they put policies in place to ensure that their people follow them. That's not to say that people don't accidentally mess up now and again.
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Good question. I would love a way to check brake lights and back up lights without having to have two drivers. Newer buses have an exterior light check button that the driver can press and it flashes all the lights in sequence so you can see that they're active and available. As for other efficiency concerns, that is left up to the individual driver for customization.
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That's a good question, I'm not entirely sure why the red is on the outside except that I can guess it's for visibility reasons. Much the same way a stop light has the red at the top, maybe they feel having it on the outside helps drivers?
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Depending on where you live and how the bus system is set up will depend on how the routes start and end in both morning and evening. Some districts have the schools separated on each bus by school/grade level. For example there may be high school routes, middle school routes, and elementary routes that all start and end at different times based on when those schools start and end their day. Alternatively you may live in a county that puts all grade levels on each bus. There are positives and negatives to this. A positive is that if you are a family that has older siblings, the older ones are riding with the younger ones and you don't have to worry as much about childcare when your high schooler gets off with your second grader. Due to the distance from the schools will depend on when each route needs to start. You can guarantee that the one that starts early will end late in the afternoon due to the distance they have to cover with children.
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Not really though kids think they can get away with stuff back there. They really can't.
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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.
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Bus aide yes. Not very often though as the need for drivers was much greater.
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It's not wrong, but you have to understand that there has to be a professional boundary. Children having crushes on their teachers and other adults in charge of them is fairly common however it can be a very slippery slope and get both the teacher/adult into major trouble and the child into consequences they did not intend.
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Depends on how the working environment is. Failure to treat your employees properly will result in them quitting.
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Let me check with my lawyer.
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If the driver is safely stopped, no.
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Well, many state governors are calling school done for the remainder of the year. Until the stay at home orders are lifted, we are likely to just stay in place until this whole crisis blows over. Rest assured many children are in the same boat so lack of education is not really a concern as much as getting them food and supplies for their families who depend on the schools 9 months out of the year for breakfast and lunch.
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Truthfully if you were standing out in the storm that makes you a dumbass. Waiting for a bus or not is beside the point, if you don't feel safe to do so always ask your parents to either take you or sit with you in their vehicles at the stop.
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Eh, not really. Most anyone who listens to a cb radio feed can figure out where the cops are stationed.
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I generally have a decent immune system thanks to the germ tube i drive. But occasionally a sickness gets through my immunity and knocks me for a loop. Usually happens once a year or every other year.
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Yes. Many districts do it, however them having children's names listed may be a security issue. I would bring that up to the superintendent.
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Not sure. Can't hurt to ask around.
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I would notify them of the archives and link them to the archives then they can fix the problem.
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If she does put her hands on people, that's not okay. But consider your actions on the bus and try to get the other kids on your bus to stop acting out. Being mean for the sake of being mean is one thing but being mean but also being fair is another. If she holds everyone to the same standards then you may find you actually like her.
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That is a possibility if we reach similar crisis levels as seen in wuhan and in Italy. Just stay calm, practice social distancing, become a housecat and demand a sunny spot at the window.
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Uh no.
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Many school districts are already choosing to voluntarily close in an effort to curtail any mass spread of a disease that has a high infection rate. This is known as social distancing. They recognize that putting several children in a confined space (classrooms, buses, and cafeterias) are prime sources for the spread of germs whether intentional or non intentional and given the risk to the immunocompromised being proactive is better than being reactive. My district is shutting down for 3 weeks and they will be disinfecting the schools and buses in an effort to curtail the spread of germs.
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Not necessarily. It's probably boring to kids and personally i prefer to play something that is kid friendly.
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No. Riding is a privilege not a right. The moment we bring money into it we remove the authority to kick a child off the bus for acting out simply because his parents pay for the service exclusively.
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It depends on district policy as to what is acceptable in certain circumstances. We live in an entitled world where the thought process is me first and never tell me "no". Sadly this is not how the world works primarily and the sooner kids learn this concept the better. For me, if a child is a chronically late person, they get bus left and i will not return to pick them up. If the child has never been late and was just having a bad morning or an off morning, i might consider going back if its not too far out of my way. We also have a policy that they need to be out at each stop 5 min prior to avoid issues like this.
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So you expect a sub to not adjust a seat and mirrors to help them do their jobs? Things like that are a safety concern for the students. If a sub cannot see adequately out the mirrors and out the dash board you are putting the kids at risk. As far as leaving windows down, the sub should put the windows up. Radio stations are an easy fix. Have the driver put their favorite stations on a separate band. Generally radios have 3 bands of FM radio available. When they plan to be out, simply inform them to switch the band that way their presets are not messed with.
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Our district is closed for the remainder of the academic year
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What the hell???
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Not sure who he is. I know where I am, we are scheduled to return April 13. That can still extend if the spread of the virus is not stopped or slowed.
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All drivers are supposed to pass strict guidelines and licensing requirements as set by federal and state law. We are required to pass a physical every year and comply with DOT standards. Do bad apples get through and do companies attempt to bypass these standards, yes. But rest assured that they nearly always get caught hopefully before lives are at stake.
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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.
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Honestly, it's my favorite time of year because i never know which houses will decorate and go all out. I love it.
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Some states do not allow walking off a job or striking. It can be viewed as insubordination and can put someone's job at risk. If you want to make changes, best to petition for them properly through the right channels. I have not participated in a walk out or strike because i value my job and have some dignity.
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It depends on the kids and the route and the driver. When i was subbing on routes, i got to know several routes regularly as well as the kids on those routes. Once the kids were confident that i knew what i was doing, they often treated me like they did their regular driver.
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As of now our district is not using us bus drivers yet. We don't have wifi on our buses though i wish we did.
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That depends on the distance to the home. If the child is still 45 minutes from getting home, we will often make a decision to let them use the restroom at a school approved location (ie another school or the board office or the bus barn) Little kids are not as able to hold their bladders like older kids are.
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Being that some systems are on a certain schedule, it's likely the parent has been notified of when the bus will be there to drop food. If you did witness this, the neighborly thing to do would be to check on the family and ask if you can help them by calling the bus barn. It's hard to say whether or not they've already been told "be out at x time we will be there at y time" just like a normal bus stop. I would err on the side of caution and be polite with a phone call.
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Mine does not, though i am not sure about the newest buses we have.
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Not sure. You would have to ask an expert in ham radios for that.
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I wish we had this system. It would cut out the middle man, though I think that some oversight is needed if a driver does abuse it, like if a child has been written up more than 3 times and kicked off the bus, then future issues need to be handled through administration and driver collaboration. The problem facing drivers is that parents refuse to see their child could be a problem.
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Yes actually. I miss every one of my bus kids. Even the ones who make me want to pull my hair out in frustration because they're the ones that need me the most. I've tried to keep in contact with parents as best I can but there is only so much I am allowed to do.
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Even in this crisis we still have a driver shortage.
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Unfortunately most bus routes are set in such a way to accommodate the majority of students. Don't like the time the bus comes? Find another ride to school. We live in a "me first" society and parents need to understand that they are not the center of the universe. That being said, I do attempt to accommodate on a case by case basis if its feasible and will not disrupt the route as a whole.
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We generally deep clean the buses at least once per year. By that I mean get in every nook and cranny, dig out trash between the seat and walls, scrape gum off the bottom of the seats. Wash the ceiling. In the mean time, we do sweep our buses at minimum once a week. During cold and flu season we spray the seats down with disinfectant spray or wipe them down with lysol wipes and spray or clean the windows.
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I'm not entirely sure what the gold line flag stands for.
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Well Karen, go sit in the parent pick up line yourself. Lol.
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I wish we could but right now the answer is no.
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Probably 15 to 30 minutes to ensure everyone gets to school on time.
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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.
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I use a variety of positive reinforcement tactics. For most kids, a routine is best so assigning them a seat on the bus and a seatmate they're friends with alleviates 90 percent of behavior issues. The other 10 percent, I use positive rewards for good behavior and largely ignore the bad behavior. Sometimes with a difficult child, I assign them a "job" like making sure everyone is awake. Now occasionally even this method doesn't work and I do have to resort to writing a child up and turning them into the school but that is a last resort.
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Most districts will have alternate education items available for those without internet like paper packets to complete or a list of at home activities anyone can do without internet. In some areas school buses are being used as wifi hotspots for kids without internet access. It depends on the district.
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Rode, yes. Driven, no.
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Generally when it storms I make sure to give my kids extra time to get from their houses to my bus I don't feel that it is necessary to rush a child in getting on a bus because they could get injured if they rush. It is important to me to make sure that the children have ample time to get from their houses to the bus.
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I'm brutally honest in my answers. People have come to my thread looking for the answer they want only to be told they're wrong. I don't mince words nor do I make excuses. People live in a "me first" bubble and it sucks when that bubble bursts.
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There are many families that do not have vehicles snd do not have access to the internet at home. Having buses serve these neighborhoods and children serves three purposes. One, it puts food in the hands of children that would otherwise go hungry. Two, it allows teachers to hand out and collect homework packets for at home learning. Finally, three, it allows the district to lay eyes on kids they would normally keep tabs on during the school year to ascertain whether or not they need more help.
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Not so much seen as heard of happening. Lots of inappropriate sexual stuff can happen with older students on a bus.
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Someone's gotta do it. It's either that or the district offers remote learning options for the teenagers and not everyone succeeds that way.
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Yes. Given that it's been posted and a fairly widespread practice that for the protection of yourself and others that face masks must be worn, it doesn't surprise me in the least. There are many people out there who feel they are above what the governments can tell them what to do and whom simply won't follow rules. (Fake service dogs are a perfect example.)
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Yes. It is. Sometimes driveways are all we have that give us enough space to turn around at the end of a road.
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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.
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It depends on the district. Most districts have rules about when and how early to pick up students.
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Truthfully.... next school year.
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Sort of. Most bus companies require their drivers to be a minimum of age 20 to 21 or a bit older to start. The responsibility of having lives in your hands is a big one.
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No killing each other, no bloodshed, respect each other, quiet at railroad crossings, no screaming unless you're bleeding, injured, or dying. Keep the noise level at a respectable level. Other than that I'm flexible.
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Honestly I don't know. I've only had experience with one strobe light which is operated by one switch inside the bus.
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Good question! There is usually one box for first aid. That has your typical bandaids and other first aidey type items. Then there is the body fluid clean up kit which we break out in the event a child vomits on the bus or blood is shed. That has gloves and specific instructions on how to dispose of body fluids.
Finally the long thin red box usually bolted to the floor is reflective triangles that we can unfold and pop up when the bus is broken down and we need to give motorists warning of what's on the road.
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Summer is usually the time for staff turnover. Thats when people retire, find other jobs, transfer from one school to another (middle school to elementary etc) and in the rare case, the district will terminate those who didn't perform to their standards or who left without intentions to return.
Sometimes in other rare instances, a school board might be considering switching contractors. In the case of bus drivers, this happens more often in larger districts where companies like Durham and First Student bid on a contract and most of the time there is informal hiring and firing of employees as they transfer the contract services.
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That's due to the driver having an air ride seat. The air ride seat allows the seat itself to cushion against the imperfections in the road. It's kinda like riding a horse if we hit a bumpy part of the road. It saves our backs from hurting as bad after our long routes.
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At the moment, I don't but in the past I have held side jobs or other part time employment. I do have a few side hustles that bring in a little extra education.
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Thanks but I think I'll stick to this platform
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Highschool diploma and cdl certification is standard. Anything else is bonus and more than welcome.
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Great for inner city and areas that are largely congested where pollution might be a large concern. Impractical for large areas due to limits on how fast and long it can run on the alternative fuels before returning to regular fuel.
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First yes she should be reprimanded or at least told her behavior is unacceptable. Sometimes our jobs suck but it isn't appropriate to take it out on the kids or other adults on the bus. If she really hated her job that much then she shouldn't drive a bus. That being said the only issue where she might be in the right would be where the coach wanted the team dropped off. Sometimes as drivers we are given separate instructions on how to unload and where to safely unload.
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It's scary. Especially since we have children to consider and think about when we are on the bus. I always have a back up plan ready to implement depending on where I am in town in order to keep the children safe.
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Sometimes delays happen due to shortages of staff or an inability to function due to more restrictions for the safety of students and drivers and other staff. Just be patient. This covid-19 stuff is all new to us.
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Equivalent is experience. Most bus driving jobs and jobs today in general require a minimum of a highschool diploma. This should be industry standard across the board.
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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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No i haven't been in that situation but i have been in a situation where immediate weather has forced me to stop driving for a period for the safety of my bus kids. It's always safer to stop and shelter in place or seek out a secure building in those situations.
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I had a fight where I had to call the cops to take the kids off the bus.
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No, thank goodness, though I have been involved in a few fender benders. Minor incidents, minimal damage.
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Truthfully no I wouldn't unless our system paid us to collaborate with officers. Generally they don't mix our professions because of liability reasons.
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Yes. They should complain to the district and the bus barn. The driver is not at fault because of the way the district is forcing the overcrowding issues and refusal to accommodate time schedules at the schools. It also doesn't help when parents yell at the driver too. Take it higher and the driver might actually get some relief on the overcrowding.
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Oof that's a lot of types to place. It's hard to say where they should go or what routes they should be on. Some people are just not cut out to drive a bus though.
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Just like most people, when some retire they still have the desire to work and driving a bus is a fairly easy job overall. The kids can be challenging at times but mostly that is due to lack of behavioral support. Some professions are just better than others at dealing with the higher stress levels of bus driving.
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All questions are valid and when a q&a is long like mine is noone wants to wade through all the questions for an answer.
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Yes. With the shortage of drivers many drivers are pulling double and triple loads. Often school times are staggered start to accommodate. It depends on the district the timing of the buses. Generally buses run from 5:30 am till 10 am it just depends on the district. Same for afternoon runs. Usually the kids who went in early will get released early.
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Mostly when they outright disrespect the adult in charge. It bugs me because they feel they don't need to face consequences for their behavior and actions. It further irritates me when their parents defend the ugly behavior too.
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Potentially yes, but remember it's an election year and most of this stuff is due to certain groups getting butthurt.
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They seem to like me. Sometimes kids talk behind adults backs because they have to feel better about themselves.
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Wasn't really a route but a field trip from hell.
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Wake up earlier then it won't wake you up?
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My first name. Here in the south it's common for kids to call an adult Mr. Or Ms. Firstname as a form of respect.
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The date school starts is dependent on each state and individual district. Right now my district is on track to start back but if numbers keep rising, we're going to be back in isolation again.
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Personally, they should be doing hybrid or virtual where possible. If companies still won't let their employees be in person then why are we asking our kids and teachers to take that same risk?
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Gotta side with the driver on this one dawg. Being racist wasn't the issue the issue was inappropriate language. So sit down, shut it, and quit being foul mouthed with your homies
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Because you're supposed to be at the stop ahead of time.
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Potato. And i prefer pumpkin.
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Tattle on each other for menial things that really are not a big deal in the first place. An example of this is a post on social media that they don't agree with so they take it to the boss to get the other person in trouble. It's childish and stupid.
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We generally have our radios set to communicate with our own districts drivers but not with other districts. It would be kinda cool if this could be worked out.
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Even including pm routes. Confusing and this is a mess I can’t have my child in online for the same reason I can’t homeschool because some people have work!!!!!!! I’m tired of the COVID-19 hoax what about you and what do we do? Me and my husband also have to be at work at 8:00 so I can’t take them. I would prefer a earlier route I mean I don’t want to have to get my kids up at 4:00 in the morning either but I definitely can’t have it too late like 7:00 or later is a no go. (Question continued)
I will answer your full question here. First the virus is not a hoax by any means but massive biological warfare released by people with ill intent. There have been deaths attributed to the virus and there are other things at play that make it more than just political.
Unfortunately we as drivers are only able to do what our districts are allowing us or requiring us to do due to the CDC standards and recommendations for social distancing and other guidelines. This does mean that busing and school as we know it are going to be different and everyone is going to have to make a change. Also with the potential for high risk of infection from this virus there is the very real possibility that children will be quarantined multiple times because either their peer got sick, their teacher got sick, or other mitigating factors. Normal as we once knew it is not going to happen at least not this year and in the immediate future.
Please do not get angry at us as we all try to make adjustments. You can try to politely ask for the route time that best suits your family but keep in mind others are choosing much the same thing or going to request similar. We cannot accommodate everyone perfectly at all times and sometimes it just has to be one way over the other. We all have to be patient as we work out the new normal. Sadly it may come down to you driving your own kids for drop off at the school because riding the bus is a privilege not a right. So please work with us amd and we will try to work with you.
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Some people do that to be funny I guess?
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Behind a tree, maybe. It depends on the judgement call of the driver and gaining permission from the parents of the child. Again same with a relative of the child. It also depends on the age of the child and whether or not the child has the cognitive ability to be independent in that matter. I'm less likely to allow a 5 year old to do that as opposed to a 16 yr old.
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Its a misconception that drivers are driving fast because of the size of the bus. If a bus driver is exceeding the speed limit though please do report them.
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Yep.
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It depends on the situation. If the driver made a comment on social media that doesn't line up with the school system's beliefs then the system has the ability to and right to separate from the individual.
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Patience patience patience.
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Generally i try to make things fair. I do not do anything that i wouldn't allow my bus kids to do.
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Sometimes kids have parents who take that stuff away and force them to ride the bus. Other times, it's not as common to find a kid who just rides to cause trouble. Usually if they're causing trouble, they did something to deserve being on the bus in the first place.
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I have no clue.
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Passengers, riders, students.
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Probably not a good idea but you can joke with your driver.
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Yes and generally if I am running a bit early i will wait otherwise i expect the kids to be outside at the stop at stop time.
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Our buses are like our homes. If you went over to your friends house and they asked you to take off your shoes and you didn't it would be disrespectful to their wishes. Some drivers set rules in much the same way.
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Yes as long as they're properly trained and pass all the requirements.
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????????????????????????????
Though really I have no clue.
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I have no earthly idea to be honest.
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Bahahahaha! Good one. I let my kids cut up and have a good time as long as there is no bloodshed.
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1. Not even attempt to put myself in harms way.
2. If i happen across a group of angry violent protesters, do not stop, keep going. They either move or get squished.
3. I have no issue with peaceful protests but those are the ones that aren't blocking roads and causing violence and mayhem.
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Not on a bus. I have in my personal vehicle. It was ugly.
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Rewards for positive behavior. Interaction with the riders. Showing interest in their activities. All of these are positive ways of encouraging better behavior in students. Being firm and consistent is not the same as yelling and screaming at the kids.
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When child predators started abducting kids more frequently. Its a dangerous world out there.
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We have to listen for the trains as well as look for them. It's part of our safety procedure. Stop. Look. Listen. We cannot always count on the railroad crossing arms to work properly.
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As of now, our system is closed until August and then opening will depend on the Covid-19 situation.
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Many items are for the safety and security of the children we transport. Some are comfort based but in many cases they are necessary.
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Probably for the same reason you stop there?
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Sure.
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Tutor or paraprofessional. I love working with children and helping them succeed is my passion.
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On YouTube, probably. ???????
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Haha i took a break for a bit and now gotta sift through all the questions that piled up. I'll be back to answering most questions promptly soon.
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Yes. Of course it is. We talk about everything.
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Yes. Have prepared and executed both types of evacuations.
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It depends on the district policy. I usually leave kids if they're late.
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The questions get emailed to me and when i have time i come here, sign in, and answer them.
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Not into a private house but into a public building due to a tornado yes. I notified my supervisor where we were and that the kids were safe.
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Yes they give me stuff. I wish I thought to keep magnets and tape so they could put their stuff up on the bus walls/ceiling. Hmm thats a good idea for next year!
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Buses generally are governed at a maximum speed of 60 to 65 mph. By federal law we cannot exceed 55 mph but most drivers will attempt to go the speed limit or at least keep with the flow of traffic.
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Im not a teacher but tbh its hard to say what one should do. We are charged with keeping kids safe so if we get sick and kids get sick its a catch 22.
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Depends on if your district went virtual. Virtual learning means layoffs for some jobs.
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Tbh if a parent wants to bitch about the time the bus comes they have 2 options. 1 become a driver or 2 drive your own damn kid.
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Fairly easy overall. The hard part is dealing with the behavior issues.
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I wouldn't sue but find other work
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Well given its a public school we have to be sensitive about the potential difficulty for kids having different religions. We also live in a snowflake society.
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Mandating is fine but the school district needs to acknowledge that enforcement of something like that can disrupt the education process.
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Most people don't want to do hard work. Or pass a drug test.
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I take the time to memorize my stops and the kids at each stop. I greet them by name every morning.
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Largely agree with you. See my other answer. Sorry for the delay.
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That was a dick move on your part. Next time how about being nice. Baiting someone never gets you anywhere.
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Yep i think its fine because if a parent doesn't like it they can homeschool.
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Buses are overcrowded so if the kids and parents don't mind no social distancing...
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You don't think its right they fired the staff member? In many states they don't need a reason to fire a person.
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Some time between Monday through Friday.
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Yes. It is too hot not to have air conditioning.
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She did everything right.
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I'm bigger so yeet out of my way lol
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Change jobs. Most buses do not have aides on the bus to help monitor the children or their behavior. So either you can write them up for horrible behavior, learn how to relate to your kids, or change jobs.
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Because they like to hear themselves talk and yammer on.
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Nah if he shows issues like being unsafe in actual driving then bring it to someone's attention.
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Yes that happens all the time
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While it wasn't right that she slapped the child, the child was lashing out in anger first and being physical with the driver. It was definitely a momentary lapse in judgement. Is it a career ending one? No. How many parents get their kids taken away just because they walloped their kid on the behind once. There was no excessive force and it was likely a moment of reactionary behavior to what the child was doing.
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I think the video is fine. Most people do not understand what we go through as drivers and it's informational. If you're offended by it then change jobs.
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It really depends on the district policies as to what is standard.
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