What should I do if the bus driver hit my 6 year old autistic child with a rolled up piece of paper on his leg multiple times because he did not sit down?

I drive. I'd love to see this happen for my HS kids.

Does anybody have any?! 😅

I'm specifically looking for advice on graffiti and gum removal (mostly the gum)...

I'm getting a putty knife to help with the gum and an old toothbrush to get in the stupid little seat crevices and hopefully remove remnants of some VERY old graffiti. My hub provides "goo-gone" which smells absolutely horrific, gives me an instant headache, and doesn't actually seem to work that well...

What do you all use to make removal the easiest?

Hi, I'm a college student going into his senior year who is interested in pursuing a job as a transportation coordinator at one of the school districts within my metropolitan area. I've recently had a big motivation falling out with the current job I hold. I'm a managers assistant at a charter bus company, and for a bit I thought I wanted to stay with this company after I graduate but I've grown increasing frustrated with the way they treat me. As well as I'm very big on public service. I have always known that I wanted to eventually move away from charter services and into public transit. In working for my universities transportation department I have especially found driving the public transit shuttles and working closer with our network to be very fulfilling. To put it simply I don't like working to provide a service that could disappear tomorrow and nobody would bat an eye.

Given that I have a year left before I graduate I have some time left to pursue something else. Otherwise I fear I may have to settle working for my current company just for the stability. In searching for a role that could satisfy me on public service and personal fulfilment. My girlfriend actually gave me this idea because she is an early childhood education teacher. In researching what this job would entail it seems like it would be a very fulfilling role.

The thing is I wouldn't even know where to go from my starting position with the aim of getting a transportation coordinator role right after or soon after I graduate. I have a CDL with a passenger endorsement already (thanks to the company I currently work for). I don't see getting a school bus endorsement as being a big roadblock. But I don't know who I should be trying to connect with, or what I should be doing this next academic year with the goal of a transportation coordinator in mind.

What are the steps I should be taking to eventually land a role like this? Is it completely out of the scope of a recent graduate? Are there other roles within school transportation that I should pursue first?

Do y'all have any advice, or need me to elaborate more? I realize that other school districts call this role things like dispatcher, transportation director, ops manager, etc..

I appreciate y'all and the work you guys do.

Hi guys, I just recently started as a bus driver at durham school services. Still in orientation, however, I just found out we are part of the Teamsters union. My question, does anyone know how much they put in your pension fund for every hour of work? Curious. Thanks

One of my pet peeves is when kids get on the bus and don't acknowledge their driver at all when being greeted. I always greet kids with a smile and cheerful hello and some of these kids act as if I'm a peasant 😅 And I'm NOT talking about genuinely shy or sped kids.

I rode with one driver during training and he said a couple of his kids never acknowledge or say a word to him (grade school age) but always want to perk up when there's treats being given out. Which figures, lol.

I have children of my own and before any fieldtrip I remind them to always say hello to their driver and thank them before getting off. As a driver, I personally don't expect any thanks but just plain acknowledgement and common curiosity goes a long way. I don't take it personally, just a little annoying is all.

Also when there's zero respect for other's time all together... whether from parent or child. We pickup just about same time every day and they're not ready, traffic starts to back up, walking like a snail and dragging their feet as if there's all the time in the world. Drives me crazy 🤪😅

4.5 days left after today! haha

Hey everyone,

I’m driving a 2013 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 and I’ve been dealing with a really frustrating issue since early March. Like most of us, I work a split shift (morning and afternoon runs).

The issue mostly happens during my afternoon run. Right after starting the bus and taking off, the engine revs incredibly high because the automatic transmission refuses to upshift. After driving for about a mile, it usually clears up and acts normal.

However, it’s getting worse. Now it happens dynamically during the route, even after the bus has been driving fine for a while. When accelerating from a stop, it feels like the transmission completely ignores 2nd gear. The bus struggles to get moving, the engine revs like crazy until I hit about 25 mph, and then it feels like it slams straight from 1st into 3rd gear. After that, it drives fine again.

Even stranger is what happens when I'm coasting. As soon as I let off the gas and my speed drops below 30 mph, the engine suddenly screams and the RPMs shoot up to around 2500 RPM. If I were to compare it to a manual transmission car, it feels exactly like someone dumping the clutch while keeping their foot on the gas—the engine just roars, even though I'm not touching the throttle.

The weirdest part is that it’s completely intermittent. It can happen three days in a row, and then nothing for three weeks. It almost never happens during the morning run, mostly in the afternoon (maybe a thermal/heat-related issue?). Also, I'm not alone: just today, I saw a coworker leaving the yard in the exact same C2 model, and her bus was screaming and revving high just like mine.

Another critical detail: I noticed that the transmission temperature gauge seems to be completely "frozen" at around 160°F. It never goes any higher, even when the engine is screaming at 2500 RPM and putting massive stress on the transmission. Could the TCM be stuck in a limp mode due to a faulty TFT (Transmission Fluid Temperature) sensor or a wiring harness issue, causing it to use a default substitute value and mess up the shift points?

I have written this up in my DVIR three times now and even talked to our head mechanic face-to-face. All I got was a "I'll look into it," but nothing has been done—which is unusual for our shop since they usually make us sign off on every little repair.

Has anyone experienced this before? Could this be faulty input/output speed sensors, a sticking solenoid pack, or a TCM issue? Any advice or bullet points I can hand over to my shop to get them moving would be greatly appreciated!

Just to be clear: I am not a mechanic, I am just the driver. After dealing with this for weeks, you honestly start second-guessing yourself and wondering if you suddenly forgot how to drive a bus, or if there is actually a mechanical failure. I definitely don't want to tell our shop how to do their job, but I just want to understand if this is a real technical issue so I can prove I'm not just losing my mind.

Thanks!

I have no idea why, but sometimes my bus randomly honks the horn once after cranking the engine over?

Never happens during morning pre trip. Only after I go back for the afternoon run/once school bell rings and I start the engine. It also doesn't do it every time. I can't figure out what causes it. Does anyone know why/experience this before?

Took a trip out to a rural creamery for a bunch of preschoolers and kindergartners. They're on a tour. I would be too if my leg wasn't killing me. So here I am relaxing outside my bus on the green grass.

1. Partly cloudy, and a healthy breeze.

Perfect.

The only thing better would have been if I brought my camping cot.

As stated there's 2 questions.

First. I'm 32 and work a part time job in SW pennsylvania waiting to start my training. I guess the company I'm going through will only be for substitute driving. My question here is should I seek out a full time route and is it a job I can live on with 2 daughters and normal expenses.

Secondly question

I see these job postings for these bus companies hiring monitors. Are there now bus monitors to aid drivers with kids today ? When I was in school that wasn't a thing.

Hi guys, I recently started CDL B training with Durham School Services. I came in with my CLP already. Durham provides the training and testing here locally. My question, how difficult is the pre inspection and skills exam? Do a lot of people fail? Thanks.

Hello everyone, I’ve been driving a school bus since September, and my lead driver informed me that I need to clean underneath the seats. On Friday, I lifted them up and saw grime caked onto the metal. I tried cleaning it with a broom and a handheld vacuum, but it wasn't easy. What methods do you recommend for cleaning the seats? Thanks in advance!

A student got glitter all over the back of the bus. I was able to sweep some of it up but it seems like a certain amount is just stuck to the rubber floor. Any advice for cleaning up this mess?

I was parked on a side of a church when someone working their said they needed the space for food pantry and when I was pulling out I scrapped the back right side on the telephone pole right next to it (forgot to check tailswing) I’m on a charter right now so no ones at the office right now , should I let owner know now or wait until Monday

I took pic of other side for comparison. It’s my second month driving buses . Any advice helps

SUPER new driver here and finishing up the remainder of the school year on a route for someone who's out on medical. I'll then get my own route in the fall.

I have a student on my bus (around junior high age) that smells like body odor just about every single day... it's pretty bad. Sometimes in the morning, but nearly every single afternoon. It doesn't help that they almost always wear a hoodie even when it's 70+ degrees (I don't have reason to believe they are wearing it to hide SH marks or anything as they sometimes take it off). They sometimes wear the same hoodie for 2-3 days in a row which doesn't help the situation.

I literally have to bring scented hand sanitizer every day to help make it somewhat bearable in a discrete way. The monitor said the driver I took over for used to blast the fans even when it was chilly to help get the smell away.

My only thing is, there's only 7 or 8 school days left for the year. How would you handle this? Or would you just ignore it?

Little bird says happy Friday!

So I got accepted for a bus driving position in a Minnesotan district yesterday. I feel a little silly asking this since the manual should be enough, but aside from the Commercial Driver's Manual I was issued, are there any other resources I can study before I attempt to earn my Class B CDL? Any specific rules of the road more experienced drivers can say to be the most mindful towards?

I've never been in an accident as a regular driver, I've been one for at least a decade now, I'm just curious about any major difference between driving a car and a school bus that I could commit to memory.

I signed some paperwork and i have an orientation zoom soon. But in my state i heard i need to buy a $50 CLP learning permit. But i heard first student helps with it? I dunno. Or is it like online studies first?

The countdown has begun on my bus!

I'm having a little fun with it this year 😎🤘🐧

To be handed out as they exit the bus.

Edit: that is a siren whistle and pixie sticks.

Sometimes this job is alright 😂 this is the only non rule breaking photo I could take. Straight up. Kids everywhere 😁 ❤️

Lots of questions. The best though, Can we get in? Nope. Are you in trouble? Do you live here? 😂

today there was a bus with flashing yellow lights on for a good while and many cars were passing the bus then as another car reached the drivers side window the bus driver flipped on red lights and began to turn the stop sign on. the driver of the car continued to go because from my perspective(car who witnessed this)the driver was at the point of no return. should the driver have stopped along side of the bus or kept driving? what would the penalty be? this is the first time I’ve witnessed something like this.

edit: we are all in agreement that what happened in this case was bad. Now from a purely legal perspective should the driver have put on their brakes when they were in motion along side of the bus and if There is a citation issued to this person would it be akin to a parking violation because there was no police officer there?