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.
It depends on the district. We are shorthanded everywhere so overcrowding is bound to happen. Routes are made longer and schools are not changing the way they do things to accommodate the sheer number and stress we are under. The amount of kids also depends on the location of the route. A rural route is less crowded but longer whereas a city route can be very crowded at times.
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Most districts will have alternate education items available for those without internet like paper packets to complete or a list of at home activities anyone can do without internet. In some areas school buses are being used as wifi hotspots for kids without internet access. It depends on the district.
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Truthfully, I haven't had any weird or odd items brought on my bus. Though once I had a pre k kid bring a bag of acorns on the bus and tell me to look at his nuts. I told him to put his nuts away and that they were very nice nuts. Another kid asked if they could hold his nuts and I had to say no you cannot hold his nuts.
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I would love to see these standard on all buses. I would also love to see more lights to flash even more to help a driver see the bus in question.
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CBP Officer
How cooperative are Mexican authorities re: US immigration and border control?
Professor
Are professors really subject to the "Publish or Perish" policy?
School Teacher
How do you feel about the idea of year-round schooling?
It depends on the manufacturer and state regulations as to what is required to be on a bus.
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Not really though kids think they can get away with stuff back there. They really can't.
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I've never heard of vacuum brakes or doors but I can explain manual doors, air brakes, and standard brakes. On a majority of buses, there is an air system that controls the door, stop sign, crossing arm, and brake system. There is a compression tank that fills to capacity when the bus is turned on. Some drivers are required to "bleed" the brakes when the bus is switched off (more on that in a few). When the system is working properly the items come out like they're supposed to and they operate properly. Of course there are overrides for the systems. In both the drivers seat and in the door frame there is a switch that will override the stop system and shut it down if its malfunctioning. The door has an emergency override switch that allows the air to be released so you can open the door in the case of an emergency. Note that manual doors do not have this. They are operated by the driver manually with a hinge that the driver uses to open and close the door from the driver seat. Air brakes are similar in that there is an override for them but it requires you to bleed the tank by pressing the brake pedal till the emergency parking brake pops out and the brakes set on the bus. Some buses do not have this and have the standard brake system found in all cars.
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