School Bus Driver

School Bus Driver

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.

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1007 Questions

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Last Answer on February 07, 2021

Best Rated

Do bus companies allow you to bring your child on the bus

Asked by Kim about 9 years ago

It depends on the districts policy on the matter. Check with your district.

How far does the 2 way radio reach?

Asked by Antuony about 9 years ago

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.

Hello, I'm needing to know how to address the bus driver with out sounding like a complaining parent . I understand that the driver cannot control every situation . Would it be better to write him a note or talk to him directly ?

Asked by Momma bear over 8 years ago

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!

While the kids are on break,do the bus driver still work or get paid

Asked by Tanisha about 9 years ago

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.

On my bus there is a person that always sits on the bus in the first seat on the door side. They're older and they are always on the bus. Why?

Asked by MacKenzie almost 10 years ago

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.

Is there a law against a school bus driver getting off the bus while it is parked in the middle of the road and running and no other adults on the bus, to walk up to every child’s house and knock on the door and talk to parents? State of Texas

Asked by Cgarcia over 8 years ago

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.

Can a bus driver let students from another school on the bus?

Asked by Zyria Smith almost 10 years ago

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.