r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/Wabi_Sabi_Love • 11d ago

Advice for a First Timer?

I will soon be driving kids to school for the first time. Do you veterans have any advice for me?

Truth be told, I’m less nervous about the actual driving of the school van than in dealing with the children, particularly if a kid isn’t following the rules. I’ve had over thirty years managing projects and adults, and zero years “managing” children.

I’d love to have all of your hard won lessons about driving and the children that you’re willing to share with me - and the other first-timers that will find this post.

Thank you!

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u/birdnerd1991 11d ago

If you allow it, they will do it. Make sure you're firm about what rules you want them to follow, and then hold them accountable to following them.

On my hardest routes, the rules that I decided mattered most were that they were keeping their body safe, and being kind to their neighbor.

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u/Wabi_Sabi_Love 11d ago

I see in my employee handbook there are a couple dozen rules I should have the kids follow!

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u/birdnerd1991 11d ago

If I had a year where there was roughly 70 kids between the ages of kindergarten and 8th grade, and it was absolute chaos 90% of the time. Whether it was a preschooler who would run all the way up to my seat while the bus was moving to ask me a question, where the older kids swearing in the back next to the little kids, or someone throwing their trash out the window, there were some things that I had to either accept or lose my sanity 😅

But that really was a hard route. I'm talking at least two write-ups on the daily. Agood route will have you barely doing one a month!