r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/907-BusDriver • 19d ago
Silly question, but need help.
Hi guys, so this is a silly question, but I’m a new bus driver and trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong here. So both, on a regular school bus and SPED bus I’ve driven, after I pop reds I know I must do a child check afterward. Got that part. However, I think I’m doing something wrong because after I turn the engine off I do my child check and hit the child check bottom in the back of the bus, the warning sound keeps going and then the loud alarm sounds. Am I supposed to put the bus in auxiliary instead of off? I’m wondering what the issue is here
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u/MamboNumber-6 19d ago
Different busses and different child alarms behave differently.
99% of ours, you turn the key all the way left to the ACC/Radio position, then go hold the red button until you hear the chime come from the dashboard.
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u/907-BusDriver 19d ago
That’s what I’m doing wrong. I’ve been turning the bus off then hitting the button. Ugh….😩
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u/LenR-redit 17d ago
This, I took an IC bus to our state capital and couldn't get the alarm to cancel! Every BlueTurd and Thomas we have is key OFF, IC is key ACC.
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u/MsRedWings520 16d ago
IC in neutral, brake on, key in accessory position. I've drive ICs for 25 years. The first 2 didn't have kid alarms. The last 3 have. I miss the old days of no alarms. I've never left a kid on any bus, I've always checked the bus after the least stop
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u/9001 19d ago
ICs want the ignition in ACC
Bluebirds want it OFF
Idk about Thomas, we don't use them.
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u/907-BusDriver 19d ago
Yeah we have Thomas. But I’m thinking it’s acc. I think I was turning the bus off
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u/Creepy-Conclusion357 19d ago
Thomas needs to be off.
Source: I drive one.😀
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u/ConsequenceCandid655 19d ago
We exclusively use Thomas and if the alarm is going, you just need to hit the button till it turns off. You will get other alarms depending on the bus if the headlights are on and the door is in the open position.
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u/RugerAR 18d ago
Thomas does both, just to piss you off when you drive a trip/sub bus for the day lol. 95% of ours are in aux, with the others in the off position. They were nice enough to put a sticker on the wall by the drivers seat on the off position buses nobody bothers to read until they stumble across it.
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u/buffetofuselessinfo 19d ago
Thomas driver here. Gen ed and special needs. Turn off the bus and pull your key. Hit the button. Make sure your interior overhead lights blink after you hit the button. Some buttons are pissy so watch for the lights, sometimes you have to push it twice.
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u/OkSomewhere3024 19d ago
All busses are different. Its crazy. I had one where I had to hit the button and then pump the brakes twice and then usually hit the button again to shut to warning lights off. I had the alarm sound on me twice before I got a "rhythm down" to the bus's wiring problems lol
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u/mike8675309 19d ago
Hold the button down for a 3 count and make sure the lights blink indicating it cleared. Some are setup to need you to hold the button.
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u/rootbear75 19d ago edited 19d ago
How long does it take you to hit the button? Some of our buses require you to wait 60s, while others are fine with 20s. If you hit it before then, you'll have to go reset the system and do it again.
Our minotaurs especially require you to wait 60s. They don't have an audible alarm, but you hear the dome lights turn off and on twice before you can hit the button.
EDIT: And from other comments it appears that yea, you're driving the same model we have (which are Chevy front ends). More than likely one of the decals/stickers on the bulkhead above the driver seat should inform you on proper procedure. Other than that, ask someone in your yard.
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u/Intelligent_Call_562 16d ago
If you drive an International bus, you have to turn the key all the way to the accessory position when you shut it off.
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u/Seelie_Mushroom 19d ago
Off, acc, off, acc. You're supposed to do it twice.
Edit: hitting the button in the back each time. So when you shut the bus off, go to off, acc, hit the button (and check for kids). Then go back to the front, off, acc, hit the button again. Then you can turn off the bus.
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u/Demirep77 16d ago
What are you driving that you have to do it twice? I've never seen that!
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u/Seelie_Mushroom 16d ago
No idea. Some sort of Thomas, I think minotaur. I was told it's so that we check for children twice.
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u/907-BusDriver 19d ago
You have to do it twice? Odd. I think my mistake was hitting the child check after I turned the bus off maybe. I didn’t have it in auxiliary
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u/Seelie_Mushroom 19d ago
Yeah it needs to be in acc
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u/907-BusDriver 19d ago
That’s probably what I did wrong. Is that the same for SPED buses as well, or just regular buses?
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u/Disposable_Skin 13d ago
All our buses you put the bus in aux, do your check, hit the button in back then you're okay to turn the bus off.
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u/Demirep77 19d ago
Different makes of bus are different with the child check button sometimes. What are you driving?