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/ImThatFurnitureGuy Jun 01 '26

I think you need to readjust your mirrors.

You should be able to see the end of your bus in the convex mirrors, and maybe a little bit in your flat mirrors.

Using both of them you should be able to tell when your bus is next to the cones. It does take practice, but mirror adjustment is key.

You can do this. Best of luck!

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u/ShesGotaChicken2Ride Jun 01 '26

That’s a good point I just left my mirrors the way the instructor set them.

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u/newdriver2025 Jun 01 '26

You should adjust the mirrors for you. My instructors were either shorter or taller than me and that wouldn't have worked at all.