School Bus Driver Archives - Page 3 of 3

School Bus Driver Salary 2020

Posted on March 27, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

500,000 school buses ply the road daily in the US alone. This calls for a requirement of an equal number of drivers well experienced in transporting students safely. The school bus drivers require responsibility and a high level of commitment. The driver should love to drive and must be aware of traffic laws.

Job Description of a School Bus Driver

School bus drivers are engaged mainly to pick up students from the bus stops, bring them to school and at the end of the day drop them back home. He also transports them on extra-curricular activities, field trips and class picnics.

The driver starts off his day from the school-yard ensuring that the bus is safe to drive and has enough fuel for the day’s trips. He must make sure the bus is properly maintained, should perform mechanical checkups on a weekly basis and properly keep a driving log.

He drives on pre-assigned routes, always keeping to schedules. He makes certain that the student is picked and dropped off at bus stops at the appointed times despite traffic jams, bad weather, and accidents on his route.

School-Transport-Software--Ensure-enhanced-student-safety

Safety is the prime aspect of a school bus driver. He has to be on constant look-out for erring vehicles on the road to avoid accidents. Drivers must know traffic rules and follow them diligently.

The next important quality in a driver is his level of maturity and calmness. He has to manage student discipline in the bus, fights and bullying among students. In addition to this, he has to handle irate parents and school authorities.

Qualities of a School Bus Driver:

Customer service skills- School bus drivers often interact with parents, students and school authorities, so they must be courteous and helpful to their needs.
Hand-eye coordination- A driver needs to be alert all the time while driving. He/she requires to have normal use of one’s arms and legs and should have good hand-eye coordination as well.
Hearing ability- it is required that a driver needs to have good hearing ability. He should be able to hear a forced whisper with or without using a hearing aid.
Patience- A driver may overcome stressful situations like heavy traffic congestions, unruly passengers, etc, so a driver should be able to overcome these situations calmly and must maintain enough patience.
Physical health- A bus driver should have sound physical health. Federal and state regulations do not allow people facing health issues like high/ low blood pressure, epilepsy, etc to operate a bus. Because these health issues can interfere with driving.
Good vision- Bus drivers should pass vision tests. People with poor vision or color blindness must keep away from becoming a driver. Federal regulations require at least 20/40 vision in each eye. He should be able to distinguish traffic colors also.

Pay of school drivers

The average annual salary of school bus driver, as per the Bureau of Statistics, is $29,250 which works out to $14.05 an hour. The lowest-paid school bus driver gets under $18,800 a year or $9 an hour. The highest-paid drivers receive above $47,800 annually which approximates to around $23 an hour.

Also Read: 15 Best School Bus Driving Games 2020 [Updated]

Most of the bus drivers are part-time employees. This is possible as school timings are fixed. They usually work in other places during their down-time.

The regular employees help in doing basic vehicle maintenance and do administrative jobs when not on school duty. This way the drivers make extra money as well as keep themselves gainfully occupied.

The schools normally pay the drivers for the hours and days worked. Doing extra runs during vacations for summer school activities, field trips, school picnics add to their earnings.

The actual wages offered to school bus drivers depend on the previous driving experience of the driver, prior driving history, the employer, location of work and the hours worked.

School Bus driver Salary Based on Location

SL no	Location	School Bus driver Salary
1	Seattle, USA	$39,465/ Year
2	Washington, USA	$38,797/ Year
3	Baltimore, USA	$34,024/ Year
4	Akron, USA	$32,344/ Year
5	New York City, USA	$40,851/ Year
6	Minneapolis, USA	$39,943/ Year
7	Toronto, ON Area	CA$ 18/hr
8	Canada	CA $ 1,133/month
9	Australia	A$ 2,502/month
10	Alabama	$35,223/ Year
11	San Francisco	$43,841/ Year
12	India	Rs 16,255/ month
13	United Kingdom	£ 10.35 per hour
14	Switzerland	CHF 68,699/ Year
15	Germany	€ 27,300 / Year
16	London	€ 28,853 / Year

NB: “The above information is collected from various websites like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, neuvoo, etc“

Factors considered while deciding the wages of school drivers

Driving experience

The pay mainly depends on the driver’s prior experience in driving. The driver should obtain his Commercial Driving License as per state requirements and pass all federal alcohol/ drug tests and physical examinations.

School bus drivers undergo rigorous classroom and road training. Drivers on completion of a licensing exam obtain an endorsement to drive a school bus. Some states require drivers to take refresher courses to retain their licenses.

Drivers have to take road and knowledge tests at specific intervals, the number of years being specified by each state. Some employers pay for and train the drivers to attain the necessary standards.

As the drivers gain experience their earnings also increase. An entry-level school bus driver salary is $30,000 on average annually. A driver with an experience of 5 to 10 years can earn $31,000 annually in wages.

The earnings go up to $34000 annually for drivers with experience of 10-20 years. Drivers with driving experiences above 20 years earn approximately $35000 annually.

Also Read: 27 Best GPS Tracking Apps for Android and iOS

Prior driving history

This means a track record of accident- free driving, clean criminal record and incident- free behavior of drivers.

School buses are the safest mode of transportation for students to and from school. Hence school bus drivers have to exercise extreme caution while driving.

School bus drivers, in addition to driving safely, are responsible for maintaining discipline inside the bus. They have to report misbehaving students to school authorities. They settle skirmishes and fights among students on the bus.

They have to answer parents and school authorities. Dealing with students and parents require tact and diplomacy. Drivers with a high level of maturity handle this with ease.

An excellent school bus driver is one with superb driving skills and an enormous amount of patience. They should be friendly and enjoy driving.

How many trips they make

Schools pay drivers on the basis of the number of trips they make in a day. Some schools hire them on a monthly salary. In addition to the daily trips, they are required to transport children on school field trips, museums visits and other extracurricular activities.

Some schools stagger their school timings so that the drivers get to drive multiple routes in a day. On average, drivers spend 20 hours per week behind the wheel.

Most of the drivers work during the school months and are off during summer months when the schools are closed.

Some of them work year-round with limited time off. There are drivers who consider school bus driving as a part-time job due to the fixed hours of working.

Some districts in the US have year-round schools. So they have full-time drivers. Special needs students attend extended year programs at school during summer.

Whom they work for

The school bus driver’s pay depends on whom they work for. Wages differ slightly from employer to employer. School districts for elementary and secondary schools pay their bus drivers an average of $15 an hour.

Those who work for transportation services earn slightly higher at $ 16.5 an hour. Those working for charter bus services earn around $16 an hour.

Since there is no prescribed standard wage, the employer can use his discretion to fix wages. Private school operators and charter bus services pay higher.

Location of work

The salaries of the drivers depend on the geographic location where they operate on. Average annual wages in the range of $39,000 to $43,500 are paid in cities like Washington, DC, New York etc.

Southern states of US, like Alabama, offer lesser annual wages ranging from $18500 to $21,000. Major metropolitan cities, like San Francisco, tend to pay higher annual packages of $52,500 approximately.

Children need to go to school and transporting them safely is a huge responsibility. Hence well-experienced school bus drivers are always in demand. Job security is the advantage of being a school bus driver. Inspite of this school bus drivers are not without complaints.

This is proved by the high attrition rate. They earn lesser than their counterparts with commercial driving licenses in other industries. There is a limit to the hours one can work.

The extra runs made by them are paid at lower rates than the normal. Drivers cannot afford the high premiums for health-care. The training for school bus driving is expensive with the aspirant paying all of it on his own.

Lack of support from the management of school and bus companies is a major reason for drivers leaving the school bus fleet.

Honest, dedicated, friendly and safety abiding drivers are always needed and in great demand. In addition to being professionally experienced, the school bus driver has to be humane to perform his duty cheerfully and responsibly.

School Bus Drivers Health Problems And Solutions

Posted on March 22, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

The job of the school bus driver comes with immense responsibility and requires utmost patience. Transporting students to and from school safely requires the drivers to adhere to rules and regulations strictly.

In addition to safe driving, dealing with students, parents, schools authorities and bus companies on a daily basis requires a lot of effort. These occupational hazards take a toll on the health of the school bus driver. The driver’s regular, hectic schedule relegates personal fitness to the lowest level of priority.

Major health issues faced by the School Bus Drivers and solutions:

Stress

Raises blood pressure and increases the level of stress hormones leading to heart problems

The job of the school bus driver involves high stress which causes in numerable diseases. Drivers have to drive the school buses safely through the busiest streets in the cities through peak hour.

He has to deal with other errant drivers on the road. The process of maneuvering the school bus through traffic jams and road accidents is extremely stressful.

School bus driver’s has to oversee the overall discipline of students on the bus. Student fights, bullying has to be solved promptly. Unruly student behavior is a strain on the driver causing lack of concentration.

Another aspect of strain to the driver is dealing with the parents. Parents having varying requests can be very demanding and irritable handling them is a disturbing process to the drivers.

The drivers very often do not get adequate support in his activities from the school or bus management. The authorities are not receptive to school bus driver grievances. This again makes drivers unhappy and irritable when on duty.

After driving through heavy traffic and handling boisterous young children, the drivers are hardly in a frame of mind to exercise or go for gym activities.

Driving safely, watching out for rogue drivers and controlling their emotions leave them mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the day.

Stress relieving programs for drivers are of prime importance. Exercise and yoga are of help in reducing stress. Schools have to institute mandatory sessions for drivers during their down-time.

Periodic motivation classes, rewarding drivers for their good deeds can help improve morale of the drivers.

The feeling of being looked after makes the drivers more loyal to their job. The feel-good factor makes them cheerful and stress-free while on duty.

Insomnia

This leads to psychological disorders. High levels of stress and anxiety cause insomnia. This makes the drivers lethargic and nervous during their daily operations.

Their inability to concentrate will endanger the safety of the students. Extended periods of insomnia will cause disturbances in the health system causing mental disorders.

Obesity

Obesity increases the risk of contracting diabetes at a younger age. This increases blood cholesterol levels which increase the risk of a heart attack.

The drivers sit for long periods of times on the bus. Drivers continue sitting between work hours also.Sedentary nature of the job leads the drivers to become over-weight. Stress also leads to obesity. This makes them high-risk candidates for heart diseases and other serious health issues.

Studies have shown that the drivers are sedentary for more than 12 hours on a normal working day. Most of the drivers are over-weight. These two factors together rank them as a priority group for health interventions. Lack of exercise leads to reduced levels of cardiovascular fitness.

Raising the levels of physical activity during the bus driver’s off-time is a solution to this serious issue. Increasing the driver’s movement will reduce the risk of potent heart problems.

Alternatively, being over-weight does not necessarily equate to being unhealthy. Over-weight could be a catalyst in raising the risk. Prevention being better than cure it is always better to be active and keep check of the weight.

Walking, jogging, aerobics and bicycling are activities suggested to keep the drivers healthy. They can pursue these activities during their off-time. Short durations of 10-20 minutes of exercise reduce the risk for illnesses and improve health. Free use of the school gym is also recommended to keep fit.

Schools can arrange sports events and challenges to motivate them into action. Bus companies can allow them in their basketball, volleyball, softball teams. They can be encouraged to take part in tournaments and matches.

Muscular pains

Aches and pains in the back, neck, shoulder and knee are experienced by the drivers due to nature of their job.

The driver’s cabin does not allow for much movement or stretching.Constant use of the leg on brakes and accelerators causes wear and tear of the knee and calf muscles.

Frequent turning of the head, when students board and get off the bus, lead to neck pains. Back-aches are attributed to the stressful, stiff posture the driver holds while on the driver’s seat. Vibrations of the bus and frequent crossing of humps result in lower back pain.

Exercising and stretching while off the bus is the only solution. Ergonomically designed seats help alleviate this problem to an extent.

Food habits

High-calorie diets increase cholesterol levels. Eating junk food causes gastro-intestinal problems. Reduced intake of water causes dehydration.

Poor eating habits of the drivers result in health issues. School bus drivers on early morning trips and late field trips do not find time to have proper healthy meals.

They most often end up having high-calorie donuts and fast food instead of well-balanced meals. The long hours of sedentary off- time tempts them to over eat.

The schools can provide a nutritional healthy pack at least once a day at a low cost or even free. The schools need to arrange periodic health check-ups for the driver. A diet plan can be prescribed for each driver. They can be persuaded to eat regular healthy meals.

Inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes–causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

School buses emit fumes from the exhaust which enters the bus when the doors are opened and closed and through the ventilation systems. Constant exposure to these fumes cause asthma, bronchitis, lung damage and may even turn fatal.

The only way to reduce the emission of fumes is to reduce the idling time of the engines mainly at the school parking area and at the bus-stops. Use of newer buses with cleaner engines will help in reducing the emissions. The best option would be the use of electric buses as they will in total eliminate this risk.

Infectious diseases

Drivers are prone to fall ill due to virus and bacterial infections like the flu, common cold, hepatitis B.

This is mainly contracted through helping sick children on the bus. Using gloves and surgical masks can prevent spreading of the virus.

Wellness programs

The individual driver’s inclination and his desire to use the facilities provided to him is finally the key to his health.Periodic presentations on health and nutrition can create awareness ofthe health problems associated with lack of fitness. The wellness programs should motivate the drivers to make full use of what is offered in improving their health.

Wellness programs instituted have to be low cost and convenient for the drivers to avail them. Swimming pools and gymnasiums in school districts can be made available for their use at a low fee or even for free.

The programs are to be personalized. They should be sensitive to age and the driver’s needs. The programs have to be made voluntary and flexible.

The programs have to be recorded and evaluated frequently. Stress management programs have to be incorporated. Informal programs will allow drivers to relax, bond and share their thoughts with their colleagues.

Schools spending on wellness programs for drivers will reap proportionate benefits. There will be less absenteeism. The number of drivers reporting sick without prior information will fall. This will be of great relief to the school as there will be less disruption in the bus schedules.

A level of physical fitness in school bus drivers is imperative. They should be alert, agile and efficient to attend to the needs of the students on the bus, in cases of emergency. Safety being the priority, the driver’s health issues should not impede their ability to drive the big school bus safely.

School Bus Drivers Training – 10 Tips For City Driving

Posted on January 23, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Driving a vehicle within the city is not only difficult but also frustrating. When it comes to school buses the problem just gets multiplied. As buses come in lengths of up to 45 feet, maneuvering the big vehicles around the city corners can really be a challenging task.

In the case of school bus drivers, they are responsible for the safety of children on board. As a result, they become stressed, which then diminishes their ability to act effectively in an emergency.

The challenges faced by drivers are largely dependent on the city in which they drive through. However, proper training and following certain strategies can help minimize the probability of problems cropping up when they are on city roads.

1: Plan ahead before turning

As the turning radius of a school bus is more, it is not easy for the vehicle to get into the right lane for a turn in time. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that drivers must be aware of the upcoming turns and position of the vehicle properly ahead of time.

2: Minimize left turns

The drivers of many professional transportation companies are advised to avoid left turns as much as possible. School bus drivers can also follow this advice.

Left turns tend to raise the chances of side-on collisions with other vehicles. Schools that use software for deciding bus routes can include this as a criterion when finalizing routes for the school year.

3: Avoid applying brakes suddenly at signals

Studies show that traffic light cameras tend to increase the incidence of low-damage accidents in cities. Drivers often slam on the brakes in order to avoid jumping the stop signal.

This often results in rear-end as well as other minor collisions. It pays to sensitize school bus drivers to be aware of signal points and apply brakes early so that they don’t ram into the vehicle in front of them.

4: Fix more mirrors

When it comes to driving, blind spots are always a cause of concern. If the school bus drivers happen to notice blind spots in front of the vehicle or through the rear-view mirror, they should request authorities to fix more mirrors. Actually, the advantages of fixing more mirrors far outweigh the costs involved.

5: Make use of in-cab GPS if possible

When it comes to city driving, detours and accidents are part of life. However, school bus drivers should be properly trained to avoid them as much as possible.

In-cab GPS units enable school bus drivers to change their route and avoid encountering dangerous situations when driving within city limits. However, drivers should always keep their eyes fixed on the road and drive slowly when they follow detour signs.

6: Be aware of dangerous road conditions

Drivers must be aware of the road conditions and remain alert so as to avoid accidents. They should reduce the speed of the bus when repairs are being carried out on the routes they drive.

In addition, they must always maintain a safe distance between the bus and other objects on the road. This gives them enough time to respond in unpredictable situations.

7: Be conscious of the traffic signals and road signs

A driver should be conscious of the traffic signals and be conversant with the different road signs. Some of the important traffic signs are U-turns, one way, no horn zones, and prohibited area. If they remain alert when driving on the city, they will be able to avoid major accidents.

8: Examine school buses prior to taking them out

Before taking out the school bus on to the road, drivers must make it a habit to check the vehicle’s status to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for the students. They should carefully check the fuel levels, the condition of the tires and wipers, among other things.

9: Keep track of speeding limits

It is very important drivers must follow the specified speed limits because the safety of the students is at stake. Therefore, it is a good idea to control the speed limit of the school bus by setting the limit that is allowed.

10: Make sure others on the road notice them

School buses have been integrated with flashing lights and turn signals in order to help others on the road to notice them.

School bus drivers should use the right communication signals at the right time to enhance the safety of students, especially when they are boarding or getting down from the bus, the bus is in the parking lot, the weather conditions are bad.

Final Thoughts

Student safety should be given top most priority by all school bus drivers. As the increase in the number of students traveling by school buses and the nature and size of these buses pose challenges, the drivers have to assume a great deal of responsibility.

Along with the increase in congestion on the roads, the distractions have also multiplied tremendously.

School bus drivers begin their day by ensuring that the vehicle is in good condition, but they often overlook the most important aspect which is their own feeling of well-being.

Every driver should start their day feeling healthy and well-rested because safe driving on city roads is dependent on alertness and focus.

How School Bus Drivers Can Protect Special Needs Students From Getting Bullied

Posted on January 21, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Bullying happens everywhere, but when it occurs in school buses it can be more dangerous because it is not possible for the child to move to a safer place.

A better understanding of bullying in school buses makes it possible to find or devise helpful solutions and protect the special needs students from being harmed by the bullies.

Why Bullies Often Choose the Bus

The school bus is the right place for bullies that want to pick on their peers. It is not an easy task to supervise the activities of every student at all times, especially if the bus driver is the only adult present in the bus.

When they are in the school bus, the special needs children cannot leave the situation, seek help, or protect themselves. Bullies know that nobody can quickly interfere and prevent them from bullying.

This encourages them to target helpless children that ride the school bus with them every day. This puts special needs children in a very vulnerable situation.

Signs of Bullying In School Bus

Students who are victims of bullying often are unwilling to seek help from adults. However, it is easy to make out from the common symptoms that many of them might display.

It is important, however, to keep in mind that all kids may react in the same manner when subjected to bullying and the reactions could be mild or severe.

Fear of riding the school bus or going to school
Looking for reasons to avoid travelling on the school bus
Coming to school or going back home with ripped clothes, losing things, or any other sign of abuse
Symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks that occur prior to boarding the school bus or in the mornings when getting ready to go on school days
Talking about a friend that is being bullied or referring to themselves being bullied
Avoiding similar situations, for example riding in cars along with many people

Special Needs Children Riding the School Bus

Among children with disabilities, those suffer from cerebral palsy are often bullied more than other special needs kids.

As these kids are especially vulnerable when riding the school bus, drivers have a key role to play in ensuring their safety on a daily basis. In fact, bus drivers can do a lot to prevent bullying.

Children suffering from cerebral palsy exhibit disabilities that vary from mild or moderate to severe. Such children often look different and may even find it difficult to get on to or off the school bus.

Children with severe disabilities may ride on a bus that is specially designed, but many mildly disabled children choose to ride with the normal kids. As their looks and movement are different, bullies often target these kids.

Special-Needs-Students-From-Getting-Bullied

The school bus may turn out to be a dangerous place for bully victims because they cannot escape and the bus driver cannot monitor everything that is going on behind him/her and stop the school bus for taking action.

How Can School Bus Drivers Protect Needs Students from Bullying

School staff, school admin, drivers, and parents are equally responsible for ensuring that special needs children are not bullied, but when they are riding the school bus the onus is on the driver.

Therefore, it is important to provide anti-bullying training to bus drivers. Apart from the training they receive and being part of the school-wide procedures and policies involving bullying, bus drivers can do a few other things and protect the special needs passengers:

1. Stop the bus safely so that they can react to bullying

When drivers sense that some random child is being bullied, they should stop the school bus at a safe place and then take assertive action. However, it is important that they remain calm.

2. Call the bully by his/her name

To stop bullying, the first action to be taken in most of the cases is approaching the bully in a calm manner and using his/her name to warn them verbally.

3. Call the officer in charge

If the verbal warning does not work, drivers should call the concerned officer in the school transportation department. This often helps to stop the bully.

4. Report all instances of bullying

It is of utmost importance that bus drivers report all incidents to authorities through the procedure outlined in the school’s policy. The availability of records makes it easy to handle the problem if it persists.

5. Drivers should get involved in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

Drivers who take special needs kids to and from school on the bus should be made part of IEP meetings.

This will enable them to have a better understanding as to how they should deal with special needs kids, and the care to be provided as a person involved in their lives on a daily basis.

6. Follow clear and simple rules

School bus drivers should specify and follow some rules so that bullying does not happen during the ride to and from the school.

They should enforce these rules calmly and indicate as to what consequences the bullies will face if they fail to follow the rules. This goes a long way in preventing negative behaviours in the bus.

7. Reinforce positive behaviours

The best way to promote positive behaviours is by recognizing good deeds. Drivers should make an effort to get to know the students they are taking to and from school on a daily basis. This helps to foster better behaviours and positive relationships.

8. Ask for a paraprofessional in the bus or a camera system, as needed

If the bullying problem persists and the driver is not able to manage alone, additional steps may be required to be taken to keep the special needs student safe. The presence of a paraprofessional in the bus might be helpful in protecting the differently abled students.

A camera might also be helpful, but these solutions come with a cost. Schools can evaluate the current status and decide on the best possible option. Ensuring maximum protection to the special needs children should be the ultimate goal of the concerned authorities.

Final Thoughts

School-Bus-Drivers-Can-Protect-Special-Needs-Students-From-Getting-Bullied — Image Credits: AngelSense

Bullying on school buses is actually a serious problem and bus drivers can contribute a lot to prevent the same. There is no doubt that they have to drive safely, but they also should create and maintain a positive and safe environment.

If a bus driver feels that he/she is not adequately equipped to deal with the problem of bus bullying, then they should talk to concerned authorities and get trained in dealing with special needs children and implementing anti-bullying policies.

How to respond to bullying on the school bus? Learn about the different practices drivers can take to protect special needs students from getting bullied. school-bus-drivers-protect-special-needs-students-bullied

15 School Bus Driver Quotes You Need to Know

Posted on January 18, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Driving is always a challenging task for school bus drivers. They have to manage not only the school bus but also the children inside it. Driving a school bus needs complete attention as a small mistake can cause big problems.

Great school bus drivers not only just drive, they care for their students.

Here are certain quotes on school bus drivers which you must know…

1. Being a School Bus Driver Is Not Just A Job… It’s an Adventure!

2. Anyone Can Drive A Car But It Takes Someone Special to Drive a School Bus!

3. Be Nice To The School Bus Driver, It’s A Long Walk From Home To School!

4. If You Can Drive A School Bus You Can Do Anything!

5. Only A School Bus Driver Would Turn Their Back On A Bus Load Of Kids!

6. If You Think You Have Problems, Try Being A School Bus Driver

7. You Can’t Scare Me! I Drive A School Bus!

8. Finding A School Bus Driver Is Like Finding A Good Musician!

9. The Best Part Being School Bus Driver Is Having The Power To Stop Traffic

10. School Bus Drivers Are The People Who Transport Children To Their Future

11. If You Can Remain Calm, While All Around You Is Chaos…Then You Must A School Bus Driver

12. It’s A Good Day When A School Bus Driver Gets On The School-Bus With You

13. School Bus Drivers Are Always Calm Under Pressure

14. School Bus Drivers Are The People Who Are Respectful Of Others

15. If You Are In the Driver’s Seat, Your Love is the Least

School Bus Driver Safety – How Technology Can Play a Role

Posted on January 16, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

School bus drivers are given the huge responsibility of transporting the children to and from the school safely. Driving a school bus is a very serious job and often thankless. The driver is exposed to many an experience on and off the bus and their safety is of utmost importance.

Nowadays, the school fleets comes fitted with a number of technological aids and this helps them to stay safe as well as do their jobs to the best of their abilities. We review below a list of technologies and gadgets that help them in more than one way.

1: Digital Cameras

Safety enforcement is always a tough job. During most of the trips, on-bus behaviour of the students is a major distraction for the driver. Most drivers trim this problem by assigning seats to the students.

Digital cameras that are installed in modern school fleets help the driver to constantly monitor the situation inside the bus while simultaneously maintaining a watchful eye on the road.

The cameras are also endowed with the capability to record both audio and video of the happenings inside the bus. This spares the driver from having to turn back to find out what exactly happened.

These cameras are also equipped to capture the licence plate details of vehicles that pass close by the bus when it halts.

2: Bus Tracking Systems

Bus tracking systems provide the much-needed transparency that is otherwise required of the bus drivers in reporting where the bus is located at that point in time.

These systems not only work to notify parents and school authorities of the current location of the bus, but they also act to restrict harsh driving behaviours.

Parents monitor both unscheduled bus routes/ bus stops that the drivers may take and also monitor the speed of the bus. This aspect keeps the children and the drivers safe.

Bus tracking apps help to keep away distress calls from the parents that would otherwise be a distraction for the driver. The school bus tracking app helps to provide real-time data as regards approach time of a bus near the scheduled bus stop.

It also helps the driver to do his work with the concentration required to get his wards to the bus stops at the scheduled times.

3: Mirror Grid Systems

The latest school fleets come fixed with a grid of mirrors. This 7-mirror system helps the drivers to have a wide-angle view of the surroundings of the bus.

The electric grids that are present behind the mirrors help the drivers during the cold winters. The heat generated by the grid removes the fog and snow particles that get lodged on the mirror during the winters. It helps to enhance the driver’s surrounding vision.

4: Driver-controlled Bus Doors

The doors of today’s school buses can be controlled by the bus drivers with the touch of a button. The driver’s control in the opening and closing the school bus doors are helpful in more ways than one.

Firstly, the absence of manual operations keeps away unnatural twists and turns of the body and the problems arising thereof. Shoulder pain, arm injuries, and fatigue can be completely avoided. The annual door swings are nil.

5: Air-cushioned Driver Seats

The latest school fleets come with built in driver seats that are kept up with the help of air pressure. This keeps the seat at a comfortable position for the driver and provides enhanced lumbar support that leads to fewer back problems for the drivers in the long run.

6: Smaller Bus Engines

As a direct consequence of miniaturization that is taking place in all fields, bus engines are now smaller in size. The smaller size of the engine means a smaller hood. This improves the field of vision of the driver and enables him to see more of the surroundings.

7: Computerized Diagnostic Tools

Computerized diagnostic tools that inform the driver well in advance about the upcoming maintenance jobs of the vehicle are a boon to the drivers.

Wear-out of tires, replacement of non-working indicator lights, and other maintenance jobs, if informed to the driver in advance helps them to keep the children and their job safe.

Other issues that can give the drivers a feeling of preparedness include indications about transmission problems, oil tanks and their malfunction, exhaust systems’ alarms, etc.

8: Wi-Fi Connectivity

Wi-Fi connectivity in the bus can keep children engaged with the Internet and allow them to complete their lessons, homework or indulge in other intellectually gainful activities.

This keeps them from engaging in unruly behaviour which can distract the drivers and keep them from performing their duties.

9: Sensors

Installation of sensors in wireless devices will inform the drivers about the current status of brakes and emergency door systems. This prevents impending disasters.

Final Thoughts

Though skilled and careful driving is still the best preventative method to keep the kids safe during their ride on the school bus, technological aids, in the recent times have helped the drivers prevent many an accident.

Therefore it is important to install these technological gadgets and systems to make the school bus ride much safer than before.

How School Bus Drivers Can Help Protect Disabled Children

Posted on January 14, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

It’s the responsibility of the schools to ensure that children, especially those with special needs, are transported safely to and from schools on their school buses.

In this connection, it is important that schools follow certain guidelines when transporting children that need special care.

Further, schools should employ trained staff, make arrangements aides or nurses when needed, establish an emergency evacuation plan, and implement an infection control program.

In order to protect children with disabilities, drivers need to be familiar with the characteristic behaviour of such students.

Most often, children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, autism, deafness, blindness, hearing impairment, orthopaedic impairments, emotional disturbance, and vision impairment have to be transported.

Children with disabilities need more protection than other kids as they are vulnerable to abuse and bullying on the school bus. The disabilities may be mild, moderate, or severe.

Some of the children might even find it challenging to get into and alight from the school bus. Students with severe disabilities might even have to be provided with special seating arrangements. School bus drivers have a key role to play in ensuring the safety of disabled kids on a daily basis.

School Bus Drivers – What Can They Do to Protect Disabled Children

In general,

Whenever the driver senses signs of bullying he/she should stop the vehicle at a safe place for taking necessary action.
Calling the bully by name and giving a verbal warning often results in the perpetrator stopping bullying. When verbal warning does not work, the driver should call for assistance.
Bus drivers should always report all incidents as outlined in the school policy statement. Recording of incidents helps in handling issues in a more effective manner if they persist.
As a person dealing with children on a daily basis, the bus driver should be aware of the scope of care needed to be provided for special children. Awareness about the needs of such children enables the driver to protect them in a better manner.
If required, drivers should ask for a paraprofessional to ride in the bus so that he/she can take care of them when the driver should focus on driving. A camera may also be helpful in this regard.
Drivers can enforce certain rules to prevent negative behaviours on the part of normal children.
Drivers could reinforce positive behaviours by complimenting and recognizing good behaviours.

When it comes to dealing with children with disabilities some of the ways in which a driver can provide protection are listed below.

Autism

Autistic children exhibit a wide range of behaviours. Some do not communicate, while some others exhibit emotional outbursts or abnormal fears or react abnormally to sound.

Drivers can ignore behaviours that do not hamper the safety of the bus. However, they should intervene when the behaviours have an impact on bus safety.

The intervention should be planned carefully. They should restrict themselves to giving just brief directions to deal with an inappropriate behaviour and avoid providing choices. Further, the direction should be given in a gentle but firm voice.

Deafness

Not all deaf students communicate in a similar manner. Some of them use the sign language, while some others are good at lip-reading. Deaf students capable of communicating with the driver pose fewer behavioural problems.

Drivers should familiarize themselves with the student’s preferred method of communication. He or she should also keep a pencil and paper ready to deal with children having this disability and communication issues.

Students with hearing impairment may not respond in a consistent manner to verbal communications and they may or may not use the sign language.

It is, therefore, important to establish good communication practices with such students to be able to protect them in difficult situations.

Read Also : Guidelines for Transportation of Students with Special Needs

Orthopaedic Impairment

Children with orthopaedic impairments often require specialized services. Many students require specialized seating and special equipment. They may also need physical help.

When it comes to dealing with children with orthopaedic impairments, drivers should have a clear idea of the needs. This is essential in order to provide protection to such children.

Other Health Impairments

This category includes children that have limited strength. In appearance, they may not differ from non-disabled children.

In order to deal with such children, it is important that the driver knows about each child’s disability and how it manifests when he/she is on the bus.

The drivers should be given adequate in-service training as children with health impairments are often transported along with others.

Vision Impairment

Children with impaired vision may or may not need special services. The requirement for the driver’s intervention depends on the ability of a student to function independently.

Drivers should carefully assess the ability of each student and provide assistance as needed. In order to ensure their safety, drivers should consistently maintain the daily routine, including assignment of the same seat.

They should be capable of communicating in a friendly manner and provide precise directions to the children.

Differently abled or disabled children often have to contend with a lot of problems on the school bus. Therefore, bus drivers are responsible for dealing with them in the right manner and ensuring their safety.

It is their job to protect the children. Of course, they have to drive safely, but they are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive and safe environment.

Bus drivers who are not adequately prepared to deal with differently abled students should seek training in order to transport them safely to and from the school.

Scope of RFID School Bus Tracking Systems in Security Measures at Schools

Posted on January 25, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Nancy was a smart girl. She belonged to an upper middle-class family. Every day, without fail, her mother collected Nancy after her school bus drops her at the bus stop. One day, it so happened that Nancy’s grandmother fell ill and in the ensuing hassle, her mother forgot to pick her up from the bus stop. By the time her mother realized this and reached the bus stop, Nancy went missing.

It was a depressing situation for the whole family. Luckily her id card was embedded with an RFID tag. Combined with school bus tracking system, the tag helped the police officials to trace her whereabouts.

She was being carried to a far off place by a stranger. Nancy was rescued by the police officials and was handed over to her mother safely. The stranger who abducted Nancy later confessed that, he did that for ransom.

Around the globe, children are subjected to lots of such atrocities. Parents around the world are always concerned about such dangers. The only way to escape danger is to prevent them. Technology has brought with it a lot of possibilities to do that.

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RFID school bus tracking system is a smart technological invention that has gifted parents with added confidence. With RFID, ensuring the safety of your loved ones has become easier.

Know about Automatic Identification

Automatic Identification, known as auto-ID for short, is a term given to the technology that is used to help machines in order to identify people or object.

Automatic data capture is often coupled with auto identification. It is an all-rounder that identifies items, gains information about them and transfers the collected data into computer without the involvement of the employees.

The system is mainly used in order to collect error-free data. The system increases efficiency and makes staff members available for other functions resulting in more productivity.

Bar codes, smart cards, voice recognition, some biometric technologies, optical character recognition, and radio frequency identification (RFID) are the technologies that fall under the shade of auto-ID umbrella.

What is RFID?

Radio frequency identification or RFID for short is the broad term given to the technology that uses radio waves to automatically identify people or objects.

Identification can be made by a number of methods, but the normal method is to store a serial number that identifies a person or object on a microchip that is attached to an antenna (the chip and the antenna together are called an RFID transponder or an RFID tag).

The chip transmits the identification information to a reader. The antenna enables the chip to transmit the information. The radio waves reflected back from the RFID tag is converted into digital information that can then be passed on to computers for utilizing it efficiently.

Scope of RFID in schools

The worse nightmare a parent can have is losing their child. However, a little care can make a lot of difference. RFID tags are already attached to a lot of products we buy.

Using it with the id card of your child can fetch a lot of benefits. RFID can be equipped for the simple reason that it lets the parents have peace of mind.

• Automatically checking the attendance details of children

Checking the attendance details of children manually requires a lot of time and energy.

With RFID school bus tracking system, the details are automatically entered. The accurate attendance details can thus be obtained.

• Parents or guardians get notified about children’s activities/whereabouts automatically and on time

The activities of the children are notified to the parents without fail. Performance tracking is possible that can result in the over-all development of the child. RFID tag helps in removing uncertainty.

• Can be used in library and canteen

The tag can be used for making things like borrowing books from library simple, orderly and clear. Through the tag, details of the book can be stored in the system, making the job of librarian much easier.

Using the tag in canteen eliminates the need of carrying money and thus, lets the parents have peace of mind.

• The system monitors when and where each student gets on or off a school bus

The accurate location of children can be monitored by parents using RFID school bus tracking systems. This provides great relief to parents.

Tracking the physical location of children creates an extraordinarily detailed portrait of a child’s school day.

The over-all activity of the child can be monitored through the system anytime, anywhere, by the parents.

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Reasons to Rely on Better Security

It is found that a child is abducted or goes missing every 40 seconds, i.e.

Hourly 90
Daily 2160
Weekly 15120
Monthly 64800
Yearly 786240

Out of the children kidnapped in United States

40% are killed
4% are never found
75% of the parents fear that their children might get kidnapped
33% parents experience the fear of losing their child more than any other fear
69,000 of the 800,000 children reported as missing are abducted annually, 12,000 of these abductions were committed by the non-family perpetrators and 37% by total strangers for the victim
In 82% of the cases, the culprit is a family member
Most of the abductions happen within a quarter mile of the victim’s home

Random Facts about Abduction

1. Girls make up ¾th of the victims of non-family abductions
2. More than 1 of every 5 children reported as abducted are found dead
3. Out of the dead children found after abduction, 74% were dead within 3 hours of the abduction
4. Most of the victims are grabbed on the street by the kidnapper or lured to their vehicle

In today’s hectic life, parents are unable to monitor their child’s movements. The RFID system can be of great help them in such situations.

With this technology, student tracking is possible and thus helps to enhance their safety. Also, by using RFID technology, you will be able to generate accurate attendance reports.

In these ways, the application of RFID improves the overall efficiency of schools.

20 Must-know School Bus Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers

Posted on November 23, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

At an initial glance school bus might not seem different from other buses, but there are vast differences between school bus and other buses.

Compared to driving by themselves or riding with friends, students are about 50 times more likely to arrive at school alive on a school bus.

School bus, no doubt is the ultimate solution for safe transportation of children to and from school. There are a lot of factors that adds to the school bus safety.

From GPS tracking to RFID tags, school bus attains full points as far as safety of children is measured.

School bus driver plays a vital role in managing and maintaining the school bus. There are guidelines for the school bus driver to be followed.

The task of picking up of students from stops and dropping them off at school are managed by the school bus drivers. They also transport students and faculty to field trips or sporting events.

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School bus drivers often work split shifts of mornings and afternoons. They hold a very important responsibility of transportation of the students.

The role of drivers might appear small but there are a lot of things that drivers must concentrate on.

School Bus Safety tips for school bus drivers

1. Usually drivers follow a strict time schedule, but under no circumstances safety should be sacrificed to maintain schedule
2. The driver should be well aware that he represents the school so he must display a clean personality with good behavior
3. Leave at the right time to the bus stop, don’t rush
4. Should concentrate on moving traffic
5. Pay attention to the traffic and safety measures, do not listen to music player, do not play handheld video games which can lead to distractions and accidents
6. Never wear hood while driving as it can make difficulty in hearing and seeing traffic
7. Ensure that all the children are safely seated before starting the bus
8. Be courteous and show respect to children
9. Be friendly to children but concentrate more on road while driving
10. Stop for picking and dropping of children
11. Drive with the headlights on, even during day time
12. Be prepared to act accordingly during emergency situation
13. Deal with the public in a positive, courteous and respectful manner
14. Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
15. Alerts about bad weather should be noticed
16. If the bus is trapped on tracks, evacuate the bus immediately
17. The speed should always be under control
18. Do not rush to reach the destination fast, always put safety prior to schedule
19. After every drive, bus drivers should check all seats and interior
20. Do not smoke or consume alcohol inside the school bus

Here are the 20 safety tips for school bus drivers shown in the form of Slideshare presentation:

Primary Responsibilities of the school bus drivers

• Transportation of the children to and from school
• Transportation on scheduled time and route
• Before operating the bus, ensure the functioning of the bus. Check the bus tires, breaks, lights, and oil.
• Helping disabled children to enter and exit the bus
• Ensuring that children are seated before the bus starts
• Keenly following the traffic rules
• Informing the passengers of any delay
• Staying updated about the latest driving rules
• Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
• Emergency numbers must be kept with the drivers
• Drive students and staff members to field trips, sporting events, and other outdoor activities

Knowledge and skills

The driver should possess combination of thorough knowledge, skills and abilities.

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Driver’s knowledge should include

• All routes including the highways
• School bus regulations
• Dealing with children
• Dealing with children of special needs
• Scheduling system and procedures
• Record keeping system
• Equipment cleaning standards and procedures

Skills and abilities of the driver

• Operating the school bus in a safe and responsible manner
• Skills of client service and public interaction
• Team building
• Problem solving skill
• Quick decision making capability
• Verbal and listening skill
• Ability to write and read
• Stress management
• Time management

There are some must follow qualities for being a perfect school bus driver

• Honesty and trustworthy
• Respectfulness
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Should be flexible
• Demonstrate sound work ethics

Special direction for the drivers to follow

There are some school bus safety measures that must be followed by the by school bus drivers.

• The driver should not leave the bus with motor running
• While children are on the bus, driver should never fill the gasoline tank
• No one other than authorized people should drive the school bus
• Driver should not merchandise animals, weapons, or other loads or attachments when transporting children
• There must be a back up bus in the school
• Move the bus only after all the riders are seated
• Do not consume alcohol before driving
• Report to the concerned authority if there are unmanageable pupils
• Never put the child to walk home
• Never use abusive language
• While transporting pupils, driver shall not exceed 15 m.p.h
• Promptly file all reports, routes, schedules and instructions for picking and dropping