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.
As i said before, we prefer not.
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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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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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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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Football Official
Do you think it's ok for NFL refs to play fantasy football?
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How do you see parents failing in their children's education?
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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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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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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