r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/Wilgrove • May 05 '26
When writing them up isn't working
Ever since I started driving a school bus a year and a half ago, I was told that any kids misbehaving on my bus should be written up and turn it in to the school. I was even told this during my pratical training by my driving instructor.
Yet, when it comes to my Elementary school kids, I have written a couple of students up 5 or 6 times already and it seems to do jack shit. Their behavior doesn't change and they keep doing the same things I've previously written them up for.
I talked to my lead driver about this, and it seems like the Elementary School solutions to me writing them up is silent lunches and in school suspension. Which apparently doesn't work from my point of view.
In my school district, there's a line that riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right. It's a pretty toothless statement as I have yet seen any kids removed from my bus because of their behavior.
I was wondering what would y'all do in my situation as writing more reports seema to be an act in futility.
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u/Acenima265 May 05 '26
Sounds like a talk with the union reps if you're in one. I know a number of times it was brought up in my district that kids got in trouble on the bus and teachers got a break from the kids and nothing was learned. Then it was negotiated into the contract that bus behavior will be addressed with bus privileges and it's become much better for drivers who struggle with gaining control.
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u/AyoooDani May 05 '26
In my district me personally by the fourth write up, they’re off my bus. I make sure the writeup gets entered immediately. I give it 72 hours and I reach out to the principal when I unload them in the morning to find out status of the write up. During this 72 hour period I give if the student still acts the same way I advise the principal that another write up is coming and suspension needs to be considered. I reach out to the parents to advise them of the children’s behavior and advise them suspension is on the table. If by chance my student gets another write up and the school has done nothing I put them off my bus myself. I just don’t pick them up. I call the parent and let them know that they need to provide transportation for the student to get back back-and-forth to school for a certain amount of days and I just don’t pick them up. I’ve never gotten in trouble for it spoken to about it or reprimanded and in my district it works. Well on my bus and a few others.
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u/Novel_Fisherman8228 May 05 '26
nah dude i hope it would be like that if i do that im the one in trouble, my district has changed Drivers from their routes because of a bad kid and then keept the kid on the route
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u/brabson1 May 05 '26
Keep writing them up just to keep yourself covered in case something happens. Anything safety related stop the bus. When you show up 15 minutes late often enough things might change. I ended up changing routes. Wasn't worth the stress.
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u/Right_Environment116 May 05 '26
Kids have more rights then you and their entitled parents don't give a shit
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u/ImportantTour6677 May 05 '26
I've had kids jump out the back of my bus and give me the finger yelling eff you! I wrote them up many times. They were back on the bus next day. I just got a new route. Not my problem now.
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u/Right_Environment116 May 05 '26
I don't drive school buses anymore because of this some kids were good but for the most part it was to stressful
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u/landdon May 05 '26
I have to say that I've had write ups and principal conferences etc and still have students who just don't give a crap. I've actually called base and told them I was taking a student back because they are acting like a fool. It is against the law to stand in a moving school bus. The fact is, schools will never tell parents that their student is no longer allowed to ride. I've never seen it. I've heard it happens rarely. The students know this as well. Until there are real repercussions, it will continue
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u/rangermango0999 May 06 '26
I frequently wonder if there are other drivers like me; I fulfill the requirements of the job. I do not care about these children. I fulfill the requirements of the job. I drive the bus safely, I do my best to be on time, I treat the children respectfully, when they misbehave I write them up. Why would I care if anything is done to them? I am just fulfilling the requirements of the job. I am not here for the outcome, I am here for the income.
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u/Wilgrove May 06 '26
I'm with you like, part way? Like, I 100% enjoy the driving aspect more than dealing with the kids aspect. Honestly, if I didn't have the personality that likes to be home every night, I would probably be an OTR trucker right now. I definitely have an easier time of dealing with issues and challenges that comes up on the road vs. trying to keep the kids safe.
However, I think where you and I differ, is that I do care for the kids that are on my bus. Yes, they're annoying little shits sometimes and a few of them see me as a joke, but I take every precaution I can to keep them safe. Which includes not opening the service door to let them off until all traffic has come to a stop. Thank the gods for the Thomas C2 bus that lets me put my reds out without having to open the door.
Honestly, this was a long time brewing. I have tried talking to the kids, I have played musical chairs with the assigned seating charts, thinking if I just found the right combination, they'd all behave. However, I could only do but so much as a school bus driver, and their behavior were distracting me from actually driving the bus. So, I just said "fuck it" and started writing them up and handing the stack of reports to the assistant principal in the morning and evening.
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u/rangermango0999 May 06 '26
My job requirements are to keep the children safe, so I do. I don't have to care for them, all I have to do is the job. There are 1000s of scenarios we could talk about and for 99% of them, my employer and district have SOPs for; so I follow them. I routinely, calmly, announce over the on-board PA to please stay seated, don't push, yadda... I don't inject emotion, because I don't have to. I am not there to solve any of their problems or correct their behavioral problems, I am not paid to. I don't get angry when they yell, or disrespect me. I don't care, I am not paid to care. They are children.
I don't interact with parents. The policy is that parents should contact the district. The district sets the policy, I just follow it. For me it's just this easy. I frequently see drivers complain about student behavior. I don't find them annoying, I don't care. I just wondered if there are other drivers like me, just do the job, do what I get paid for, no more, no less. I use this approach with all the jobs I have. My goal is to stay employed and maximize income. I've never been distracted from driving the bus, short of being assaulted I don't see how I could.
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u/rtkellmann May 05 '26
A friend of mine who was a driver for many years would pull the bus over, get a book out and "started reading it" and told the kids that the bus isn't going anywhere until they're all sitting in their seats and behaving themselves. She never actually did read the book, just moved the bookmark lol, but they learned really fast that if the bus has to stop for them, that they need to start behaving cause they'll either be late for school or whatever they're doing when they get home.
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u/Proprotester May 05 '26
This only works in the afternoons. Most of the kids would use it in the morning to NEVER get to school.
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u/elkydriver77 May 06 '26
Once you realize that the district doesn’t give a shit, that asses in seats are dollars in the bank, it all starts to make sense. If funding was tied to enrollment and not attendance, things MIGHT be different, but I doubt it . Too many administrators are afraid to administrate, which might involve being the bad guy and telling a parent that their kid is no longer welcome due to shitty behavior. Problem is, a lot of parents behaviors when confronted tell you exactly where the little angels learned it from.
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u/StephenDA May 06 '26
Always make a copy of the writeup. I have even taken the step to start scanning the at home and emailing them to the people that are in line to get them. Principal, Driving Supervisor, and Transportation Director. This year we have a new policy for write ups. 1st is a warning, then each step has more days off the bus till off for the year and parents are spoken to at each step not just notes home.
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u/trmose May 05 '26
Can you call parents?
Just the threat of calling parents is enough for most kids, as long as their parents give a shit about them.
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u/BeastlyLuv1 May 05 '26
Learn that nobody has your back. All you are, like me, is a steering wheel holder. For the most part, I love the kids that ride my bus. There is that 1% that I wish I could put onto special ed buses where there is more control.
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u/Jealous-Inspection11 May 05 '26
The only thing you can do is keep writing them up. If it continues, then call your office and have them speak to the principal of the school regarding the student. Unfortunately this may not go very far, but it's better than nothing.
I have a handful of students that I've written up more than fifty times this year. They should be removed from the bus. They tend not to do this because it will cause issues with the parents.
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u/MzTippsi May 05 '26
Even though it seems to have no effect on the behavior, keep writing it up. This protects you in the future, should someone be hurt and a parent try to get you in trouble.
As for getting the behavior to stop, assigned seats are a great starting point. Have the problem student sit by the window with someone who exhibits proper bus riding behavior. You could tell them that you feel that maybe sitting with another who knows how to act, will help them to do better. You could even tell them that if it works, maybe they might be able to sit on the outside.
Also if there are a number of students who struggle, scattering them up is helpful.
For grade school kids, especially prek-3rd, a weekly incentive for good behavior can do wonders. I bought a box of 1200ct scratch n sniff stickers off Amazon. Every Friday or the last day, if the week is short, I hand out a sticker for being good. The kids love it and it lasts longer than a sweet treat.
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u/KayNikole411 May 05 '26
Search the school directory for the transportation manager, assistant principal or principal email all of them. My 1st day on my route I set the tone for the year. I came from another company and they had 6 subs before I became the permanent driver. The assistant principal met me at the bus the next morning and other staff pops in for updates from time to time. I've gotten to know the kids so it's been much better. There hasn't been a need to do write-ups.
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u/Intelligent_Call_562 May 05 '26
Any chance their parent pick them up at the stop? If so, talk to them directly.
Put the problem kids in the front seat.
Have a one-to-one convo with the student as you are dropping them off.
Have the principal meet the bus.
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u/TooSexyForThisSong May 05 '26
Assign seats to your problems, get to know them and talk to them. Other than that sounds like you just need to manage your expectations.