Speeding, irresponsible school bus drivers

[barbeml]

emmy--How do you know what company it is? Some have nothing but numbers on them.

 

[CEDmom]

Originally posted by barbeml
I don't appreciate being called "quite irresponsible."

IF I can get sufficient information to make an informed report, I will. I have called the police for a couple of other incidents in the area and the response is always "Well, there's really nothing we can do without more information."

You're right, that was a poor choice of words and I'm sorry for that. I hope that you can find someone to take these observations seriously.

 

[emmy]

Our buses have the company name in very large letters down both sides. Also the bus # is usually very large if they drive in a numbered district- like I drive bus 8 for our system and the 8 is in large print on all sides of my bus. The other thing that may help the company figure out which bus is the actual style of bus, I drive a flat nose Meaning I have no Hood so to speak, many of our drivers still drive conventionals. If you note the streets and times they will know who drives those areas.

 

[goofy4tink]

While there is usually a bus company that contracts out to each school district, there is one person in the admin. offices for the school district who is in charge of the buses/routes. Even if you can't get the bus number, tell this office. They can track what buses are on that route. There is something sent home from our schools each year with the person's name who is in charge of bus routes and any issues pertaining to buses. Try them. I know that our person is real tired of hearing from me!!!

 

[charabby]

Also, I would think that if you called, even when you got home, and said that you saw a bus from your school system at approximately x time on x street, the bus garage could easily track down who was driving that but. You really don't need the license plate number or even the bus number. It's not like they have multiple buses driving the same route. If it's really that dangerous, call the bus garage and let them know!

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by barbeml
emmy--How do you know what company it is? Some have nothing but numbers on them.

There should be a number in your phone book for School Transportation. All you need to know is where you were when you saw it, yes, knowing the number and bus company would be nice, but they can figure that out.
If it's as bad as you say, someone needs to do something about it.
A call to the police wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Mskanga]

All you have to do is call any local public school and ask for the phone number to transportation. In PA all buses are requires to have the school district name on both sides of the bus in big black letters, and the bus numbers on all sides , you cannot miss them.
I would not hesitate calling when I see the incident happen, but then again I know the phone number for our school district. This is one thing I know our school district is very strict with, and bus drivers have been fired for wreckless driving.

 

[Kallison]

Originally posted by Serena
May I suggest you get the bus numbers and dates, times, etc and call them in and report them.

Definitely continue to turn them in. The school district or bus contractors will take action. Bus drivers are NOT allowed to talk on cell phones. If it is contractor, I would also call the school district, keep calling until you find someone who will listen. I've reported several busses for speeding down our street, they do slow down when their job is at stake.

 

[summerrluvv]

I live in a townhouse development with tight streets and it amazes me how fast the bus drivers go. I'm definately going to get the bus numbers and report them on Monday. I almost got hit head on by one the other day while I was pulling out of the development. She was turning in and was on my side of the street. I had to swerve to get out of her way.

A few months ago, during a snow storm...one of the bus drivers in our district couldn't make it up a steep hill, so he made all the kids get off the bus and WALK home!! These kids were FIVE years old and had to walk almost a mile to get home!!! With incidents like this, I wonder where peoples brains are!

 

[ripleysmom]

Problems should be reported to both the Bus Co. and the School District.

 

[emmy]

Here a 5 year old is never allowed to walk- if we can't make it up a street we would call it in and the parents would meet us to get them, if parents are not out at a stop and the bus company can not get a hold of them we bring the kids back to the school. The only kids that I can let off without a parent or adult at the stop are our Jr high/ High school kids.
I never speed while driving the bus- with our company if you get caught speeding you are automatically fired because there is never a reason to speed in a school bus.

 

[shortbun]

As a school bus driver, I am appalled that others are permitted
to behave in the manner described on this thread. I take my
job very seriously and safety is my primary concern! I can't
believe some of you have not called the police and insisted they
come and observe the behavior described. In my city, a call
from a resident describing such heinous acts would bring the
police running to stop it. I rarely even reach the speed limit
as stopping so frequently makes it impossible and getting those
big busses up to those kinds of speeds takes a long time, they
aren't exactly race cars; they weigh 12.5 tons and are 35 ft long!!!! Our buses have a governor making it impossible to
go any faster than 55, so speeding even on the freeway is not
possible. Tell you children they MUST sit down on the school bus.
I am suprised at how many kids think the school bus is their
"living room" and get up to wander around. As soon as a student
gets up on my bus, the bus stops and the hazards go on. A repeat offender is written up-copy to the parents/copy to the school with consequences hoped for and expected. More offenses of this nature, suspension from the bus as these children make it unsafe for me to drive. This year, I have had a
driver hit me on purpose-yes, he followed me to hit me. I have
had fist fights, threats of bodily harm made toward me and other
students on the bus, found weapons hidden in the side of seats
repeatedly(5 inch roofing nails and brass knuckles). I constantly
have other drivers play "beat the bus". This consists of various
forms of pulling out right in front of me, passing me on the berm,
turning left across my oncoming lane and turning in front of my
against their light just to get ahead of me. I have to go slow for
these reasons; it is my goal to allow all drivers who want to play
this game to win. The consequences otherwise are too scary for
all. If one loses a game of "beat the bus", death could result.
To all participating in and living where school buses drive: Pull
your mirrors in and park close to the curb, honor the stop sign
and flashing lights of a school bus and above all...do not play
"beat the bus"! The little bit of time you save is not worth your
life or anyone else's. Last and just as important, instruct your
children on safe bus behavior. The driver has to drive a 35 ft, 12.5 ton vehicle in traffic with their back turned to sometimes as
many as 68 students at one time. Teachers I know say they would NEVER do this job. I love it!
I reiterate; CALL THE POLICE AND REPORT THESE ACTS OF
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. GET THE TIMES AND NUMBERS OF THE
BUSSES. DOCUMENT THE HECK OUT OF YOUR COMPLAINT. IT
COULD SAVE MANY LIVES.

 

[Mskanga]

My friend's kids adn my kids , had the same bus driver for years, he was wonderful to the kids, but for some reason that we don't know , last year he started acting up big time, as if he just didn't care.
One good day when my friend was picking up all the kids ( as we usually do taking turns , since we started years ago ) , he decided not to let my 5 year old go with her because he didn't have a note from me allowing her to go with my friend. I remind you this was 7 months into the kindergarten year. BUT he allowed another 5 year old getting off the bus with his brother just because they lived 100' away from the bus stop and his mother was waiting for them at the door.
To say that I was livid is an understatement. Fast forward to this year, the bus is overcrowded, he complains it's not safe. Our kids are sitting with half of their butts sticking out of the seat , so we called and complained too. This was not the drivers fault , but the kids kept complaining that he drove fast and often he would take corners where the kids sitting on the outside of the seat ( three to the seat ) , would fall off to the floor.
Again , I called transportation, and nothing was done.
Then one day , the bus driver told the kids that whoever was sitting on the outside of the seat , would be moved into another bus to go to school. That was unacceptable, some of these kids had been on that bus for years, maybe they should move the newcomers.
Again I called transportation and I was assured that was just the driver taking saying something he shouldn't and they assured me that no siblings would be split, that was on a friday.
Guess what happened on monday?
I put all four kids on the bus ( mine and my friends ) , my friend's dd was one of the kids sitting on the outside that day , she was pulled out of the bus three bus stops later, left on another bus stop along with four other kids , until another bus came to pick them up. Of course you had my kids and her brother crying, she's crying because she doesn't know what the heck is going on or how she's getting to school.
This time, I did not call transportation again, this time I called the superintendent assistant , who happens to be my dd's old principal and who knows us for years. Within minutes we had a new bus and bus driver , she found what was going on totally unacceptable and unsafe.
Transportation has a big note on their records now, our kids are not to be split for any circumstances and if they do because it's absolutely necessary, they are to call me and my friend and notify us of any changes, we both have cell phones and there's always a way to at least reach one of us.
All I kept thinking was, in the area where we live, the roads are not the best in the winter and many accidents happen. What if I heard bus 123 had an accident ? I would think that my kids bus is 456 and they are fine. I would have never known that one of our kids could have been on bus 123 that day.
I understand that sometimes things happen and cannot be prevented , like a bus breaking down , but a lot of things can be prevented and we all have to cooperate on that.
I'm begging anyone that sees any wreckless driving involving school buses , to please report this to the appropriate authorities, the bus company is first, if no results try with the school district or the superintendent, and if possible notify the police. And for the regular civilians, let's all play it safe.
BTW, I am the first one to support the bus driver if they ever complain about my kids misbehaving on the bus. Riding the school bus is not a right, it's a priviledge.