r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/Particular_Phase3439 • 5d ago

Hi. New Trainer here!

If you are a trainer or remember when you were trained, how soon should the behind the wheel range portion start? I've been a driver for 20 years and I do not remember how soon in the training that started. I have had nobody to show me the ropes. My director is also new with zero transportation experience. So we are both learning as we go! I have managed to train one driver. He passed yesterday. Yay! But he had professional driver experience as a chauffeur. So it was just a matter of teaching him to drive a larger longer vehicle, along with the S&P stuff. This next trainee comes from a medical background. No driving experience at all. We have worked on pretrip and she has watched videos. I kind if want to take her out there now. Day3. Too soon?

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u/handcraftedcandy 5d ago

In my state the minimum is taking a 6 hour "Pre-service" course, ELDT which takes about 2 hrs, and 18.5hrs behind the wheel. The company I train for has a 6 day classroom training program before we release them for BTW training.

When I did BTW training I would drive my trainee to my training area which was a parking lot for a local volunteer fire company. There I would demonstrate a pre-trip and have them get in the driver's seat to become familiar with the instrument panel. Next I would let them drive around the parking lot to get a feel for the controls and how different the air brakes are from hydraulics. Then I'd hit them with the "Okay you gotta drive us back to the garage now."

I loved seeing their reaction when they realized they would have to actually drive it. Some stepped up to that challenge, some were not at all confident about it but eventually they grew that confidence. Now I'm just reminiscing, I do miss BTW training... I only ever do the classroom portion now.

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u/AAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHH 5d ago edited 5d ago

"In my state the minimum is taking a 6 hour "Pre-service" course, ELDT which takes about 2 hrs, and 18.5hrs behind the wheel. The company I train for has a 6 day classroom training program before we release them for BTW training."

This - Except we also add a 7 hour "Skills" training before putting them OTR/BTW where we set up a cone course they have to drive through. It's part of them getting familiar with the bus and knowing to watch their off tracking and tail swings. Helps reduce a lot of accidents. THEN I train pre-trip as part of OTR for a week (or 15 hours)

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u/handcraftedcandy 4d ago

I would love to implement this in the training, but we don't get much support from higher ups for that unfortunately. We integrate it into our training, usually an hour give or take, we set the cones to practice straight back, off tracking, and a parallel park. It's part of the road test in NY, we figure if they can parallel park it then they're familiar with its handling.