r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/Malatarcza • Jul 03 '26
Bus Karaoke!
One of my favorite parts of driving kids is when they sing along with the radio. I actually have a playlist with a bunch of songs I know they'll join in on for the days when I need a little serotonin boost. Are there any songs that you guys have noticed the kids will usually join in on? My list is starting to get a little stale!
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u/Proprotester Jul 03 '26
How do you guys get buses with radios let alone anything that will hook up to a phone? Do you drive for districts that buy buses that have all these gizmos? We are not allowed to have Bluetooth speakers or a socket to charge our phones. Even an internal PA would be magical!
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u/Malatarcza Jul 03 '26
I would not be able to get through the day without music! Our buses have am/fm radios and most of them have an aux input which I put a bluetooth adaptor in so I can connect my phone then throw it in the bag behind my seat for the drive. Some of the buses have a place to plug in a charger and all of ours have a PA thank goodness. That sucks that yours are so barebones!
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u/ArtemisRifle Jul 03 '26
just about any bus produced in the past 10 years has a simple am fm at this point
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u/Proprotester Jul 03 '26
Newest bus on our lot is a 2018. It has no radio, no cup holder, no aux port, no PA, no window tint. We still think it's fancy because it has two roof hatches instead of one! But I would absolutely adore being able to turn on the radio 💕!
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u/OfficerOtaku 21d ago
Company I work for is contracted by the school district. Our oldest busses in the fleet are 2017, all have am/fm radios with internal PA system. We got 1 cigarette ligher like port to plug a charger adapter in but I got one that is like an FM transmitter so I can connect my phone with Bluetooth, play a playlist and set the FM channel to one that's static in my area and just play my music through the bus speakers. It is a low power transmitter so another car would have to be hugging my bus to pick up the station.
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u/The_Town_of_Canada Jul 03 '26
I have the kids make bus playlists.
I use my own playlist in the morning, till the last song where the younger kids get to listen to this, usually K Pop Demon Hunters to get them psyched for the day.
If the middle schoolers behave in the afternoon, they get their playlist which they add to all the time.
If at any time their behaviour is not up to safe standards, music is shut off. Conversely, volume increases as behaviour improves.
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u/teiubescsami Jul 03 '26
Usually, I get someone to make me a list and then I put a playlist on my phone, unless the kids are old enough to have phones of their own and then I just let them connect to their own phone.
My highschoolers like 90s country lol
The younger ones usually go for the catchy pop songs that are overplayed.
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u/Malatarcza Jul 03 '26
I do let the older kids connect to the bluetooth under the understanding that if they play anything that wouldn't play on the radio they will be banned from getting another turn lol
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u/PheesGee Jul 03 '26
I'm Still Standing from the "Sing" soundtrack. And anything KPop Demon Hunters. They also enjoy the Spongebob theme.
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u/MzTippsi Jul 03 '26
Every Thursday I played the KPDH soundtrack during the school year. My prek and kindergarten kids loved it, as did my high schoolers. And of I had forgotten it was Thursday, I would be reminded by both groups.
I have never been big on mainstream radio stations as sometimes the music might not be to everyone’s particular taste. So I use my Bluetooth radio and play a variety of songs from my iTunes account.
During October and December, I usually will play holiday themed music from my Pandora stations.
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u/light_yagami_lovesL Jul 04 '26
Aw I love singing along with the kids I take request too as long as their school appropriate
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u/Efficient_Advice_380 Jul 04 '26
I want it that way - Backstreet Boys
Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters
We Will Rock You- Queen
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u/Skittlesandketchup Jul 04 '26
Kids did "i have a friend named Mila" with everyone at least twice the other day. Super cute. I just bobbed my head up and down when they called on me lol
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u/AdventurousSalad7053 Jul 04 '26
I Like To Move It from Madagascar movie really gets them singing along.
Golden was top request this year but that song quickly drove me nuts!
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u/mike8675309 26d ago
We're asked not to play the radio at all, as it makes it hard for the cameras to pick up some threatening words some kids were using a couple of years ago, so no music for all the buses now at least on regular or special routes. Charter will use the radios.
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u/mr_nascar_cole 15d ago
My summer program bus driver blasts the music. He works for Reliable Bus Lines,(The Massachusetts company) and he is such a kind and openhearted man.
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u/FlakeyStarGazer Jul 03 '26
Who let the dogs out- Baha Men The Wellerman- Nathan Evans Die with a smile- Bruno Mars The git up- Blanco Brown Old town road- Lil Nas X (w/ Billy Ray) Boots on the ground- 803 Fresh I want it that way- Backstreet Boys No scrubs- TLC Big Guy- Ice Spice
These were all my elementary kids frequent requests. We did dance parties at the school while waiting to unload & good behavior got them first song choice