How much do you spend on bus drivers

[justintime]

My son has a different bus driver in the morning than he does in the afternoon. He takes the bus 5 days a week in the morning. In the afternoon he only takes the bus home 1 day a week plus any half days (about one half day a month). How much is appropriate for each of these bus drivers?
TIA

 

[semo233]

Anything you give lets them know you thought of them. They have a really tough job and ensure the safety of your children. I usuall spend $5-$10

 

[ajk912]

I don't think it should matter how much he rides the bus...the bus driver is still keeping your child safe whether he is riding one day a week or every day. JMO.

My kids only ride the bus 15 minutes a week. They are the absolute LAST bus stop before the bus goes to school..it's actually quicker for the kids to ride the bus so they can go in the bus lane than it is for me to do the carpool loop (or walk them to school). I pick them up at the school in the afternoons, because otherwise (you know how it is..)they are sitting on the bus for 10-15 minutes while all the grades unload, they make sure the school is empty, etc.

Anyway..all of us at the bus stop got together and are giving $5 a family, so the bus driver will get a nice $40-$50 Target gift card from our stop.

 

[MiniGirl]

The bus makes 2 stops in ourneighborhood, and we all pitch in for a gift. In the past the average was about $5/child. This year I expect people will give a little less. Still though the bus driver will get about $50 cash and a little trinket.

I did the gift last year and bought her a Vera Bradley zip wallet ($5) and put the cash inside it. In the gift bag, I also added some hand cream and gum and little things like that.

 

[SeeDisney]

I've always done $20.00 cash per child. She drives carefully and makes sure my kids are safe.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Since I have 6 teachers to buy gifts for and 2 bus drivers I had to cut my budget back this year. The boys' bus driver is getting a mug with hot chocolate mix from Walmart ($5) and a fleece snowflake throw from Kohl's ($7) because it's from all three of them. DD's bus driver is probably just getting the hot chocolate mix.

 

[Chris]

I love the idea to chip in!!! I have 3 kids on the bus and normally get her a 25.00 gift card to Dunkin donuts.

 

[mamalle]

since ours is the same morning/afternoon Im giving $20. If not I would do $10 each way

 

[astro784]

I am so glad someone asked this - I was just wondering the same thing! Do you usually give cash or a gift card or a gift?

 

[java]

I have 4 different bus drivers. I am not sure what I'll do yet. I'm thinking the Kindergarten bus driver will get a musical snowglobe. (it was about $13) The other bus drivers might be getting Dunkin Donuts gift cards. (is $10 cheap?)

 

[sherabby]

My son gave his bus driver a $15 gift card to Eat and Park a local PA area restaurant chain. My father also smokes salmon that he catches himself and he gives the driver a fish every now and then. He picks my son up right in front of our house so we try and remember him.

 

[married2grumpy]

We give the bus driver $20 cash. We have kids in 2 different schools so that amounts to $40 for bus driver gifts. I am thankful that they arrive to and from school safely everyday.

I think bus drivers don't get the credit they deserve. It is a job that requires a lot of patience. My mother in law was a bus driver (retired now) and I know what she had to go through day after day with the kids on the bus. I know it is not a profession I would ever want! I do a happy dance every morning when my kids are on the bus and on their way to school. LOL!

 

[java]

You know the more I think about it the High School driver may not get anything. She has blown by the stop twice and not shown up once. Just didn't come. Not the nicest.

 

[Darsa]

I'm giving DD13's bus driver a Dunkin GC for $10; this is her first year with this school system, so I'm not really sure what the normal is. And we live in a very rural area, so I don't have contact with the other parents to be able to ask 'em. He only forgot to stop for her once the first week we were here, so I thought that was pretty good!

 

[lucigo]

Mine will get a box of chocolates (probably around $10)

 

[mickeymaker2003]

I second the idea that the bus driver will be thrilled with anything you give them. Someone asked if $10 was cheap and I was thinking a $5 certificate for Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's etc would be enough to buy them breakfast one morning. I'd like that as a present and it doesn't take any room to store.

 

[michellejed]

Wow I am so impressed that times have changed!!

I haven't driven bus in over 20 years but we usually got home made cookies and bread. Some times an occasional "bought" gift.

I would say the average most drivers got was about 6 gifts. It seemed like families thought the teacher was the most important "school " recipient.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful and I certainly didn't expect any gifts, we always loved each gift we got no matter what it was, after all it was from "our kids".

Driving a bus can and is some times very stressful especially during bad weather but I would not have traded my days as a driver for any thing!

I loved them all the same from the spitter and hitters to the huggers

It is nice to know that bus drivers are being thought of as some one special to your children

 

[maslex]

School Bus Driver here.....

Here's a list of things that I've received over the past 7 yrs.

Candles
Lotions
Dunkin Donuts gift cards
gloves
plants
My friend has received money
other various gift cards
handmade cards by the kids
boxes of candy
different gift packs (like the $5 $10 ones at Walmart)
gift baskets
fruit baskets
ornaments
homemade goodies


And yes, we do have a very stressful job but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I actually love my job. So whatever you choose to give your bus driver I'm sure they'll enjoy it.

 

[Darsa]

I could never do that job, and I have an enormous amount of respect for those that are able to!

 

[Dashzap]

Nothing.

The local bus company has trouble keeping employees. Seems like there is a new bus driver every month. Most have been rude and sloppy. Perhaps the fault lies with their employers, but I don't see any reason to tip them.