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.
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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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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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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Radio program/music director
What's the secret to actually getting through when you call in for a radio contest?
Rap Promoter / Manager
Do rappers ever stage beefs with each other as a PR stunt?
Hairstylist and Makeup Artist
How much am I supposed to tip my hairstylist?
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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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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