Tag: school transportation

5 Important Guidelines to Manage Student Behaviour inside the School Bus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Students are about 50 times more likely to arrive at school alive relying on school transport services than if they drive themselves or with their friends. It is the safest means to transport children to school. There are a lot of factors that contributes to the safe atmosphere of school bus. The expected student behaviour is one among the greatest contributions from the student- part that ensures safety.

The credit of school bus transportation goes to the various security measures associated with it. For school transportation to live our expectations, positive student behaviour is essential.

Read Also: 10 Steps Schools Must Take To Ensure School Bus Transportation Safety

5 Guidelines Begins Here;

Guideline #1 Proper Behaviour

Respecting the comforts as well as the needs of fellow passengers are really important inside a school bus. Make it a point to teach children the importance of good manners. Students who violate the expected behaviour pattern must be expelled from the school bus.

Guideline # 2 Follow the rules

As the school bus transportation provider, it’s the responsibility of the schools to implement the best rules that can make school transportation enjoyable and safe. Children should never be encouraged to use offensive language, fight, spit, eat, and drink inside the bus.

Guideline # 3 Respect the Property

School bus is the private property of the school hence it’s the responsibility of the children to make sure that it is not vandalised.  They should have tenderness towards the school bus. Allow them to decorate their school bus during special occasions.

Guideline #4 Driver Responsibilities

Drivers have got their own part to play. They hold the responsibility of driving the transport in a protected way additionally guaranteeing the well-being and security of all the children. They are expected to react to crisis in a suitable way. Children must obey the driver and their commands.

Guideline #5 Bus Pass

Children must be given special bus passes which they must carry daily to the school bus. Just like an identity card it is essential for the safe travel of children. Students must show the pass to the driver on boarding when requested. Lending or borrowing the pass must be strictly restricted. Like an identity card, passes serves its purpose.

Read Also: 10 Cool School Bus Games

Dealing with the Inappropriate Behaviour; Things to keep in mind

Depending on the gravity of the incident, students will be punished. Never ignore inappropriate behaviour.

  • Unacceptable conduct like offensive language, disobeying the driver, damaging the school bus eating on the bus, smoking, spitting, distracting the driver and failing to bring travel pass leads to:
  1. Loss of financed school travel benefits for up to two school weeks
  2. Permanent suspension from school transport facilities
  • Dangerous Conduct like bullying other students, letting any part of your body project from the transport, utilizing lighters and other dangerous items leads to:
  1. For the first offence loss of funded school travel privileges for up to four school weeks and 10 school weeks for subsequent offences
  2. Ban from travelling in school bus is also applicable
  • Extremely dangerous behaviour like interfering with the safety equipment inside the school bus, pushing other students outside the bus, harassing the driver and students and destruction of school bus leads to:
  1. Permanent ban from school travel subsidies and privileges
  2. Police will be informed about the incident

Why Being a School Bus Driver Isn’t As Easy As You Think

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

In many of the school bus songs and rhymes, you might have heard in your childhood, the job of a school bus driver sounds fun. But, when you read this, you will realize that being a school bus driver isn’t really a job it's an adventure!

Driving a school bus isn’t like driving a car, in terms of the size of the vehicle and the number of passengers. Also, being a school bus driver, there are many things they are responsible for. Their duties do not end with just driving a school bus.

School Transportation

Of course, it is the primary responsibility of any school bus driver to transport the students to school or to home safely and on time. They have to reach the bus stops on time. Driving during extreme weather conditions is always a risky affair. Therefore, they have to take all necessary measures to ensure school bus safety. Also, it is necessary for every school bus driver to have a commercial license to operate full-sized buses.

School Bus Safety

School bus drivers are responsible for ensuring school bus safety. Some school buses may have School Bus Monitoring Systems installed in them. But, that’s not enough to ensure the safety of students. School bus drivers must follow safe driving practices.

Some schools have a checklist that they provide to the school bus drivers. The drivers have to use the list to check the safety of various school bus parts.  This includes regular checks on brakes, tires, turning signals and mechanical equipment. If any issues are detected, the buses will be given for repair while the drivers will be provided with a substitute vehicle.

Bus conduct

Schools are always in search of bus drivers who can multi-task. They have to drive safely, watch the road and also look into the conduct of students in the bus. School bus drivers have the responsibility of monitoring student behaviour. They have to look for harmful behaviour and report it immediately. In some occasions, the drivers have the responsibility of assigning seats to students with behavioural issues.

Keep Records

A School Bus Tracking Software can generate reports on the school bus like the distance travelled, fuel consumed etc. But, there are some reports that are meant particularly for the school bus drivers to maintain. This includes reports on the number of students present in the bus, the number of times fuel has been replenished etc. Sometimes, they even have to keep a school bus maintenance log to look into the maintenance of school buses. These reports are then handed over to the transport manager or administrator on a weekly basis.

Even if school bus drivers comply with all rules and regulations and do their job with perfection, they are never appreciated for what they do. Still, the school bus drivers go on with their duties, facing every obstacle that goes their way to commute the precious little lives to safety, no matter what.

Things You Should Know Before Buying a School Bus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Is your school planning to buy a new school bus this year? If yes, here is some information which will help you to make a good choice.

Types of School Buses

a. Conventional buses

These are the bus models that school bus drivers are more comfortable with. Also, mechanics find it easy to work on. The front wheels of conventional buses are in front of the driver, and the engine compartment and hood are in front of the windshield.

b. Transit style buses

These bus models are becoming popular these days. They have a wheelbase of the same length as conventional buses with a larger seating capacity. Transit style school buses can also be made on shorter wheelbases.

There are 2 types of transit style school transportation:

(i) Rear engine buses

(ii) Front engine buses

Rear engine buses are more expensive but can clear any entrance way, without any obstructions. Drivers find the bus comfortable as they do not have to experience engine heat and noise. But, unlike other buses, the emergency door is not on the rear of the bus but on its sides. This will affect the seating capacity.

 

Ensure the following:

 

1. Relevant Laws: Check for laws to buy a new school bus or a used one in your country before purchasing it to avoid risks in future. It is necessary to ensure that you have cleared all formalities as a part of the final step to buying your school transportation.

2. Engine Condition: In case you are planning to buy a used school bus, the most important part you have to give attention to is the engine. You have to make sure that the engine is in working condition before deciding on buying your school bus transport. Finding about the usage of the bus in the past is a laborious task. But, it is always best to have details of actual mileage and the service history.

Generally old buses may not have had their engines replaced before they are put for sale. In case the bus you are looking for has had its engine replaced, ask the owner for the documentation.

Also, choose the engine according to the terrain you are expecting the bus to ride on. Generally, all buses may have been built to meet the standard needs. But, sometimes, you may need a more powerful engine. A larger engine does not have to work hard and therefore, lasts longer compared to a smaller engine, which works at its maximum capacity. With increase in engine size, there is a chance of increase in design capacity in transmission. You can ask the manufacture to match the design capacity in transmission.

3. Proper Documentation: This can help you determine the time frame when the engine was replaced, thereby helping you to calculate its future life.  You must ask for all necessary documentation before inheriting the vehicle to reduce the risk related to the purchase.

4. Quality Body Parts: School bus safety is important and therefore, you must check every part of the school bus thoroughly before purchasing it. The body of the school bus is to what you have to have to observe closely.  Ensure that the school bus is devoid of any rust or corrosion and that the steps are secure and that it has a solid floor. This can also help to determine the longetivity of the bus.

4. Safety Equipments: Another important fact you have to keep in mind is the installation of safety equipments in your school bus transportation to ensure school bus safety. Ensure that it comes with working air bags and anti-lock brakes. Since the passengers are students, it is important to give extra care to them and. Therefore, you can have a school bus tracker installed so that the location of the school bus can be traced and communication with the driver is possible. Also, it can help you to monitor the performance of the driver and fuel usage. This can help you save lots of money as well.

5. Seek the Help of an Expert: Finally, have the vehicle checked with an experienced mechanic to see whether it is in working condition before finalizing the purchase. The mechanic can reveal if there is any problem with the engine, brakes or any other parts.

The Risks

Buying used school buses can be lot cheaper but it is an equally risky affair. Things may go wrong; for example, the warranty might have expired and finding the parts will not be easy as manufacturers may have stopped manufacturing them. But, checking the vehicle history and condition and performing a proper maintenance can control the risks to some extent.