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.
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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