I need your help-school busses

[hollieplus2]

My dearest friend is having a hard time w/ the school bus and I need your help. She lives at the end of a one-lane curvy road. 5x now she and her husband have met this bus on the road. It has been speeding down the gravel road and she has called to complain. When she sees the bus coming she gets over to the side to let it pass. She said it comes really really close to hitting her. She said she's all the way in the ditch and has scratches on the side of her car from the brush and it still passes by w/ inches to go. The bus will not move over one inch to make it safer.

So, she called the transportation dept. to report this unsafe driving a couple times but today she had it and called the board. They told her that the driver will not move over, doesn't have to move over that they always have the right away. Either she gets completely off the road or they will hit her. If she doesn't move they will call the cops and they will remove her. If she doesn't want scratches on her car then it's her responsibility to leave earlier or later.

She told them she will not be moving and that she would have the cops there with her to watch the bus speeding. Also, at the end of the road is her driveway which the bus uses to turn-around. She said this is private property and will not be used by the bus in away way. If she backs up she can turn around w/out using her driveway and she'll have the cops tell them they can't use it again.

She sent an email to the school board and the head of transportation. So...my question is, do the busses have the ultimate rightaway? Even putting the other cars in danger? If they hit the car then the children might get hurt. She is ultimatley concerned for the safety of the kids. She has two in her car and she knows that if the bus hits her then there are other people's kids on that bus. So legally, is she in the wrong?

 

[castleview]

I think busses do have the right of way. Honestly, most bus drivers have been accommodating to me (i.e. pulling over to let me pass them on a long road) so I don't mind accommodating them. I kind of put them up their with ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars when I'm on the road. Ok, maybe not up that high - but, they have a job to do and I'll allow them to do it.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Actually I do not believe that busses have the right of way. They are a vehicle on the road just like any other. They are not an ambulance or police car. Maybe the driver is new.

And if she doesn't want the bus in her driveway then tell her to put a chain up at the end when she leaves. While it will be inconvenient for her it will solve at least one of her issues. Is the bus doing damage when it turns around using her driveway or is it just a matter or principal?

 

[My2Cinderellas]

while in motion busses need to follow the same laws as the rest of us. They don't get special privledges. The special laws applying to busses are for when it is stopped to let kids on/off. Back in high school I was on a school bus that was pulled over for speeding and the driver got a ticket.

The tricky thing here is the 1 lane road - not sure how that works. I'm surprised the bus goes down it - in my district the bus pick up spot would be at the end of the lane, unless a child was disabled and qualifed for special bussing.

 

[HM]

I understand your frustration, but I believe the bus has the right of way, as well.

The only thing that I can see that you can actually complain to the police is if the bus is truly disobeying the speed limit on the road. What is the speed limit and how fast is the bus actually going....that's what you need to find out?

Who does the bus pick up on the road if you are driving your own children? Does he need to be on that road at all? Could you carpool with the other parents so that the bus doesn't have to come down your road at all (change it's route)?

I hope you can find some way around this problem. I think that it might be best to start your drive earlier in the morning so that you don't have to meet up with the bus at all.

 

[OceanAnnie]

While the bus has the right of way, the driver doesn't have the right to speed, use your friend's property, and force her off the road.

I think your friend has legitimate complaints and I wish her well. The sad thing is, your friend would probably be okay with the right of way issue if the bus driver was a safe driver.

ETA- I'm surprised the transportation officer was so out of line with your friend!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The only way to know for certain is to call the police department and speak with whomever is in charge of the folks who issue traffic citations.

I don't buy for one minute what they are saying as they essentially told you they have the legal right to run you off the road with no yielding what so ever.

That's nonsense. It would be one thing if it were an accident--but entirely another when they are telling their bus drivers that they an and should maintain right of way even if it is at the expense of the safety of others.

Ambulances, Fire trucks, and police cars have greater sense than that.

They are creating unsafe conditions and the police department would be the next place to call.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Back in high school I was on a school bus that was pulled over for speeding and the driver got a ticket.

This happened to us when we were in elementary school. I had completely forgotten about that. The kids were also walking all over the bus while it was in motion. Not sure if the driver got cited for that but definitely for speeding and we got a lecture from the officer.

 

[Carly_Roach]

My dearest friend is having a hard time w/ the school bus and I need your help. She lives at the end of a one-lane curvy road. 5x now she and her husband have met this bus on the road. It has been speeding down the gravel road and she has called to complain. When she sees the bus coming she gets over to the side to let it pass. She said it comes really really close to hitting her. She said she's all the way in the ditch and has scratches on the side of her car from the brush and it still passes by w/ inches to go. The bus will not move over one inch to make it safer.

Without knowing what the road looks like, I can tell you that if it's a one-lane gravel road like the kind we have here, then the bus cannot move or it might get caught in the ditch and turn over. I totally understand the school's stand on that.

However, you friend might have the solution already:

Also, at the end of the road is her driveway which the bus uses to turn-around. She said this is private property

Put up a chain, a gate or some other obstacle at the end of the driveway. Make absolutely positive that the structure is on her property! If the bus can't turn around and has to go backward down the road that it just came down, then that's a safety issue as well. It might be enough to force the kids on that road to walk to the end of the road rather than be picked up at their houses.

Best of luck to your friend.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Are other neighbors effected also? If so, it would make a stronger case.

 

[EthansMom]

If I were your friend, I'd call the local police/sheriff's office and tell them the problem. Let them know that that contacting the transportation agency and school board have not resolved the issue and there is a huge safety concern. Let them know exactly where and what time the bus is on that road and ask if someone can do something about it.

Also, I agree with the PPs idea of putting up a chain across the edge of the driveway. A couple stout metal poles sunk into some cement with a large guage chain between the two (sporting a "private property" sign) ought to do the trick.

 

[Scurvy]

The only way to know for certain is to call the police department and speak with whomever is in charge of the folks who issue traffic citations.

Absolutely! She needs to call them today, explain the situation, and then get their take on it. (And then tell you, so you can come back and tell us!)

Also, I agree with the PPs idea of putting up a chain across the edge of the driveway. A couple stout metal poles sunk into some cement with a large guage chain between the two (sporting a "private property" sign) ought to do the trick.

I agree she needs to make sure that they can't use her driveway any longer. Sorry, but they aren't willing help her at all by moving over, so she doesn't need to be helping them by giving them a place to turn around. I'd be putting a chain or gate up today, if I were her.

 

[laurie31]

The buses here would not go down a one lane road with no public place to turn around. The children would have to come to the end of the road to meet the bus. How many children are on that road that ride the bus? It seems there couldn't be THAT many...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

while in motion busses need to follow the same laws as the rest of us. They don't get special privledges. The special laws applying to busses are for when it is stopped to let kids on/off. Back in high school I was on a school bus that was pulled over for speeding and the driver got a ticket.

The tricky thing here is the 1 lane road - not sure how that works. I'm surprised the bus goes down it - in my district the bus pick up spot would be at the end of the lane, unless a child was disabled and qualifed for special bussing.

Yep. Here the bus would not be allowed down a one way road.

My first call would have been to the police. Why has she not called them to report their unsafe driving and the use of her driveway?

Calling the transportation dept. is like calling the devil to complain about a demon.

 

[scrapquitler]

I don't believe that the bus has any more 'right of way' on the road than any other vehicle, unless the bus is stopped with the red lights flashing. I'd call the police department to confirm this.

If the bus is speeding, I would report it to to the police department and the school board.

In my area, the bus will NOT go down any one lane road, dead end road or road where they cannot turn around (and they would NOT pull into a driveway or onto private property to turn around). Imagine what would happen if the bus turned around in someones private driveway and somehow slid off the driveway into a rock or something? There is a HUGE liability problem there, both for the bus company, the school district and possibly even the property owner. Were I the owner of that private property with the driveway, I would notify the school baord, and the bus company that they MUST not use my driveway for turning any more, and I would put up cones, a chain or park my car there to prevent it.

 

[hollieplus2]

OP, thanks for the replies.

The curvy road is paved with dirt and gravel over it. The ditch on either side isn't a ditch just where the pavement ends. She's not expecting the bus to pull over into the ditch but move over to the other side of the pavement. According to my friend she has at least two feet on the other side of the bus but comes w/in inches of her van every time (she says to prove a point) w/out even slowing down. She said that if she didn't move over the bus would hit her thus endangering the children.

The road is about 1 mile long and at the end is a big gravel circle. Her driveway is also gravel. Her driveway is about a mile long off the road. (they live in the country) She said the bus driver will pull into her driveway and backup instead of turning around. It is easier and until now didn't care. She pays every year to put down more gravel because it turns muddy if she doesn't. The school bus is big and heavy no naturally they have to put a lot more gravel down at the enterance. She said she never really thought about saying anything until now. It is kind of a...if you won't at least listen to my complaints then why should I pay to re-gravel my driveway so you can use it.