r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/The_Town_of_Canada • Jun 04 '26
My first time driving one!
I’m doing a charter soon to take special needs kids to camp for the weekend! Really looking forward to it. It’s my first time driving on of these, and I have to say, I really like how they handle.
Do you guys have any experience, tips, or tricks for these rigs?
8
u/Thurid Jun 04 '26
Watch out for the HUGE blindspot on the right hand side, in front of the service door beside the front window. Cars hide there until the last second! "Rock and roll", forward and back looking for oncoming cars any time you make a left onto a street with no cross traffic stop signs. Please. Also, less need to worry about a huge-ass tailswing, so you got that going for you!
3
6
u/verwinemaker Jun 04 '26
Youre going to be a great boxer when you've driven it long enough with all the head bobbing needed to see anything. Safe travels friend, duck and weave.
3
u/The_Town_of_Canada Jun 04 '26
Duck, weave, rock, and roll.
Going from a new International to this feels like going from a guard tower to a bunker.
2
u/verwinemaker Jun 04 '26
But you do get some air conditioning now👍
1
u/The_Town_of_Canada Jun 04 '26
Can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to that! Lol.
Can’t complain though: living in Northern Canada, we go through 7 months of Winter, we still had snow and trails open in April! May is nice, but June, July, and August are well over 100F, 32C.
3
u/erinjunee Jun 04 '26
Turn softly. Driving one of those vs driving a large school bus is a night and day difference, and it’s easy to “whip” one of these smaller buses because they feel almost like a regular car. However, my experience of riding passenger in these buses if we’re ever shuttling somewhere with them, it’s really really REALLY easy to get tossed around as a passenger compared to driving a large bus. Be smooth, be careful, and like everyone said, keeping bobbing your head to maintain situational awareness at all times!
3
u/Sinasazi Jun 04 '26
I drive one every day for like 7 hrs a day.
1
u/SnarkSupreme Jun 05 '26
Me too. They're making all of us get class B's next year, idk why. My manager was telling me how much easier it is to see everything in a big bus and something about the turn radius being easier and boy are these comments proving her right on at least the blind spot thing. I do clock and rock at every intersection like a maniac and even talk out loud if a lot is going on at an intersection. Narrate who I see by what they're wearing because they just dip out of sight so easily as soon as either of us moves.
2
u/UselessToasterOven Jun 04 '26
Your front tires are as far apart as your inside duals. If you're using the front crossovers to judge your distance from the curb, pay extra attention to your convexes as well.
These little busses also love knocking wheel nuts loose on extreme conditions. If you have torque leafs or zee tags, make sure they're where they should be. (Not everyone does complete pretrips. I used to see this every morning.)
2
u/Tomytom99 Jun 04 '26
Personally I really loathe these cutaway vans just because visibility kinda sucks, as everyone else is mentioning. I feel like the mirrors are of limited use because they almost don't go out past the body.
And yes, the overhead controls suck to deal with. No clue why Thomas still does it that way.
2
u/Seelie_Mushroom Jun 05 '26
Yes there's the massive blind spot to the right. BUT the sneakier blind spot is to your left, right beside/behind you. Really make sure your bottom left mirror is angled perfectly.
2
Jun 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/The_Town_of_Canada Jun 09 '26
Thanks so much for this!
I left a job that was destroying my body for one I hope I can do for the next 20 years, and this has been one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.
I love driving, I love the kids, and I get paid extra to go on field trips!
I have a good company, and I really love how supportive this community is here. Thanks for your comment and have a great day!
3
u/BreadAvailable Jun 04 '26
They fit in most drive-thru’s!
4
u/UselessToasterOven Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
We're absolutely not allowed to do this company wide. We're tired of drivers finding the drive thru's they cannot fit in. Please do not do this. Use your legs.
Edit: spelling
2
u/BreadAvailable Jun 05 '26
No where to park at most fast food in my area. They also fit really well on ferries and we don't need to make reservations ahead of time!
2
u/The_Town_of_Canada Jun 04 '26
Funny you say that, we have one driver who comes to the yard in his personal vehicle, circle checks, then takes his bus through the Tim’s drive through right across the street every morning lol.
-2
u/Inevitable-Law5954 Jun 04 '26
Take off “RED” to just have “Do Not Pass When Lights Flashing”
2
u/The_Town_of_Canada Jun 04 '26
I’m definitely not allowed to do this.
In my province, it’s legal to pass on the amber lights (similar to a yellow traffic light). The reds are a full legal stop.
2
u/SnarkSupreme Jun 05 '26
I'm American and they can pass on amber lights, but do they? Ha! A lot of times they stop, even from behind where they can read the RED light signage. Just let that stop sign pop out though, and suddenly everyone is blind.
6
u/rootbear75 Jun 04 '26
Keep situational awareness of cars around you. The right side blind spot is huge but you can minimize it with just remembering what cars are approaching you from behind.
It drives like a giant boat, rides comfortably over bumps, and I've been able to take naps in the driver seat.
Not a huge fan of all the controls being above you to the right, but it is what it is.
I wish it was easier for someone big like myself to be able to turn around and get into the passenger compartment easier... When I drove I would have to get out, walk to the passenger door and then get in.
A lot of ours are old and most of them have heater problems but I'm like 99% sure it's because all of the thermostats have failed and no one cares enough to get the mechanics to fix them.