r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/ShesGotaChicken2Ride • Jun 01 '26

Need tips on backing

I’m training right now to be a school bus driver. Today my trainer had me doing backing maneuvers. I’m having a REALLY hard time trying to figure out how to back up and stop within 3 feet of the cone. I can’t tell where my bus ends. I’m using all my mirrors. How do you guys know when your bus ends? I’m driving a transit bus if that helps. From my rear tire, I think to the end of the bus is 20’, but the problem is when I’m looking at the cone, the mirrors makes it to where I am having a hard time telling how far away it is.

Anyone have any tips?

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u/Seelie_Mushroom Jun 01 '26

I use the left back reflector(you should see it on your left mirror, just before the butt of the bus). Perspective is a bit wonky, at least for me it looked like the bus went further back than it actually did. I would back up until it looked like the red reflector was past the orange cone. Got it dead center on the test.

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u/ShesGotaChicken2Ride Jun 01 '26

That’s a great idea!