Students Safely on School Buses Archives

School bus drivers are charged with the responsibility of getting children to and from school in a secure and efficient environment. In most districts, the face that parents get to see more often than the school principal or the teacher is that of the school bus driver.

In fact, one little mistake at their end can cause major damages. For instance, drivers carrying junior school students must ensure that students are seated safely, and each child reaches home on time.

Great bus drivers don’t just drive, they care. They take every step possible to give their passengers a memorable experience.

And if they are school bus drivers, they need to have certain additional characteristics since the passengers they are dealing with includes children from all age groups and the audience they are reporting to is varied – parents, teachers, school authorities, and transport authorities.

So, what are the qualities of a great school bus driver? How can you become better in your position and earn appreciation? Here are 10 tips that help you to become a better school driver:

Be Personal

As the driver, you’re representing the school and taking the child’s responsibility in your hands. As your driving skills are crucial to evaluate your performance, your ability to interact and manage the children is also of utmost importance.

It is your job to comfort the parents and make them feel at ease as they board the child on your bus. Parents remember and appreciate your kindness and friendliness. Pass a smile to every child and parent, try to know their names, and build a bond.

Be Patient with Kids

School bus drivers are responsible for kids of age groups from 3 years to 17 years. Children in this age group can do all sorts of nuisances.

Some can get violent, some tend to get adamant about seating, and some can indulge in misbehavior with other genders. Driving such a large vehicle and at the same time managing the kids require quite a bit of skill and patience.

If you are someone who tends to lose temper on small issues, being a school bus driver is not the right choice for you. A school bus driver must be able to handle all activities with patience and with ease.

Know What you are Driving

There’s a huge difference between driving a bus and a personal car. A school bus driver must completely understand the difference between the two and should be able to handle it appropriately. A school bus needs to be safe at all times, which means that your driving skills must ensure this.

A trained and experienced school bus driver will have the best judgment when it comes to taking U-turns and crossing past traffic. If you fear such instances, take some time to practice bus driving and stay on the route in different situations and scenarios.

Excellent Route Management

School buses have a specific route with every child getting off at their respective bus stops. The timings on the route are also fixed.

A school bus driver must perfectly follow this route and make sure all happens at the right time. You need to curb yourself from taking shortcuts or alternative routes if that hinders time management and eliminates some stops on the way.

Be a Leader

A school bus driver is in charge of all the students traveling in it. This means that you must be a leader who is willing to take the wheel when things need to be done.

Have the confidence to lead and take necessary decisions when they need to be taken, keeping the overall well-being of the passengers in mind.

Stay Calm Under Pressure

School bus drivers do not have control over what’s happening on the road. So, you need to be prepared for anything and everything like:

Road rage
Traffic conditions
Poor weather conditions

As a driver, you must focus on the safety of your passengers. That must be prime. You must take rational decisions by remaining calm even under situations of pressure.

Be Committed

Just like any other job, it is important that you have a passion for your work and remain dedicated to it. One-third of your life is spent at work and therefore, you must love and respect what you do.

If you are not satisfied with the duty assigned to you, discuss the same with a school authority or opt for another job position.

The best school bus drivers are proud of what they are doing.

Reach the Garage in Time

According to the rules of every school, the vehicle must reach the garage or a particular parking lot after school hours.

Bus drivers must respect this rule and ensure that they reach the designated lot in a timely fashion – without taking too many personal halts or just wandering around as per their choice.

Respect Others

Your duty does not end at carrying students to and from school. While that is the foundation of your job, you must also maintain respectful relations with parents, teachers, colleagues, and other officials. Each of these individuals is essential for success and you must appreciate them with all your heart.

Safety is Priority

Even though this has come in the end, it doesn’t mean that it is of any less value. It is as important as the first tip suggested in this blog.

A dedicated school bus driver will always diligently follow the route and meet all scheduled timings; wear the seat and follow traffic rules; and not over speed, no matter what. Everyone’s safety is the priority!

School bus drivers must understand the nature of responsibility handed over to them and respect the same. This not only makes their job easier but also makes it a lot more productive and fun.

If you are starting your career as a school bus driver or if you are already in the league, utilize these tips and there’s no reason why you wouldn’t become a better school bus driver. You could probably be recognized as the best of the best!

The school administration systems have to ensure that children with special needs are transported in a safe manner in the approved transportation of the school, which, in many cases, is the school bus.

The school transportation should be planned and organized in such a manner that it provides proper and adequate support to children with special needs.

This article puts down some guidelines that need to be followed for students with special needs.

It is to be noted that the staff has to be trained appropriately, aides and nurses have to be provided as per the requirement, there has to be a written emergency evacuation plan, and there should exist a detailed infection control package.

Students with Special Needs and Their Transportation

A student’s individual needs form the main consideration in deciding whether the student can use the same transportation provided to those students without disabilities.

For children to receive special education services, it is important to have a transportation representative who would provide the following recommendations as regards the bus transportation facilities of the school:

The type of the vehicle that the student can ride
The length of the ride, pick-up and drop-off times
Temperature conditions during cold weather
An emergency communication system to be present in the bus if required
Training and skills to be provided to the driver and bus attendant

Wheelchairs for Children with Special Needs

Wheelchairs are frequently used as the mode of transport on the school bus for children with different special needs. However, it is important that certified transit wheelchair has to be used for the purpose.

This is the type of wheelchair that meets the design and performance requirements. Such wheelchairs can also be used by the occupants while travelling in a motor vehicle. The school administration can seek help from rehabilitation therapists to identify certified transit wheelchairs.

Recommendations for occupant securement on a school bus:

Any child with a special need that can be moved from a special seating device should be transferred to a child restraint system (compliant with standards) for transportation.

The seat should be facing forward and occupant restraints should be dynamically tested for such a seat at the manufacturer’s end.

In case the seat is unoccupied, it should be carefully fastened so that it does not become a projectile in the wake of a sudden stop or crash and cause danger to the occupants.
Passenger seats with a restraint system should be fitted with a frame that conforms to laid-out standards. The school administration should consult these points with the bus manufacturer when the order is placed for the school bus or when it is retrofitted at a later point in time.
Children weighing less than 50 pounds should be secured in an appropriate safety vest or child restraint system that conforms to the laid-out standards.
A safety vest or a child restraint system should be installed only according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Such a system should not be placed on a seat next to the emergency exit on a school bus.
Seats that are used to transport children that are less than one year old or weighing less than 20 pounds should be attached to the seat only in a rear-facing manner.

If a child weighs 20 pounds before 1 year of age, rear-facing restraints meant for greater weights should be considered.
Cart-type units, stroller devices, three-wheeled devices, etc., cannot be used as occupied transport in a school bus. In case such a device is approved by a manufacturer after specific impact tests, they have to be installed only according to the specifications laid out by the manufacturer.
Wheelchairs should be secured to the floor of the bus with specific fastening devices. The fasteners are approved only after dynamic testing is done on them with the help of dummies and must have the capability of restraining the wheelchair. The occupant is restrained to the wheelchair using another separate device.
Any plastic or metal trays that are attached to the wheelchair should be unfastened before loading the wheelchair and should be separately secured during the transport.
For every wheelchair-borne passenger, the occupant restraint system used should be tested for specified force conditions separately for upper and lower torsos.
If liquid oxygen is to be transported on the school bus, care should be taken to mount the cylinder securely and fastened in a manner such that it prevents damage and exposure to high heat. An appropriate sign should also be placed on the bus.

Additional Recommendations

#1: When children with tracheotomies travel on the bus, a nurse or aide with sufficient medical training should be on board the bus to provide medical assistance in case of emergencies.

#2: The school transport representative should also take part in the medical procedures training required for students with special needs. They should be adequately trained with the latest programs which will ensure that they provide the latest as far as the care is concerned.

#3: The guardian of the ward with special needs should be kept informed of all the transportation needs and specifications.

#4: Both the guardian of the child with special needs and the bus driver should be kept informed of all the specific needs during the transportation of the child.

#5: For every student with special needs, a copy of the emergency medical card should be present on the bus.

#6: There should be enough stocks of supplies that ensure precaution and spread of infections in the bus.

#7: There should be a written plan for emergency evacuation plans and the staff should be adequately trained for the same through dummy evacuation drills.

To conclude, it is the responsibility of the school administration system to obtain periodically updated information on restraint systems for children with special needs from the relevant authorities and implement the same.

Tag: Students Safely on School Buses

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