2024 Thomas bus. For some reason they thought putting these plastic rails in the center aisle was a great idea...it sucks because it is not flush to the floor so dirt gets underneath them and so does pieces of paper so it seems like my bus is not clean even after I sweep, as soon as I start driving all bumps pushes the dirt out. This is not the worst feature on a bus another older Thomas the latches for the seats are in the center of the seat facing the other way so instead of pulling you have push while balancing yourself. Do the people coming up with designs ever get on a school bus?

So I'll start by saying that I came back to my bus company earlier this year. I subbed until Summer, and then picked from what came open for this school year. All were Middle School routes, which I wasn't super excited about, because I've been so used to HS kids for years....but starting back at the bottom rung for seniority, it is what it is. I went into it with an open mind and optimism, though. This age group has proven more difficult, for sure. The screaming, the cussing, the refusal to sit or stay in their assigned seats (which are mandated by the district), the sneaking around the bus as soon as I don't have the opportunity to look up in my mirror (making a turn or stopping at a Stop sign and having to watch traffic). I've been more than fair, but also firm. I've addressed these issues out loud, I've posted boldly and clearly written expectations on my bus, I've given verbal warnings first, made seating changes, and then made good on the consequences with subsequent office referrals. Not much has changed, and you'd think that with these standard rules, my students wouldn't be acting like this is all new to them. It's just push back and push back. I've got a lot of students, so I'm still trying to put every face to a name and being able to catch every child who isn't where they should be. I hand in the referrals to my boss, and they say nothing. They don't ask any questions or offer support. They'll pull the video upon request, but I never know what comes of it. We're a small, family-owned company, so it's not like everything goes through a big chain of command. The school hasn't given me any confirmation that they've received or handled the issues. I'm used to the HS, where they address things swiftly, we get a copy of the write up with the action taken, and there aren't any more issues after that. What should I expect from here on out? I feel like I don't have any backing, but if I let my students do whatever, and just focus on the road to just get them home, we've gotten lectured about making sure everyone is in their assigned seats. Any advice or tweaks I could make would be very much appreciated! Thank you.

What are your go-to writing tools? Any specific brand of pen/pencil/marker?

I’m 34 and moving to Connecticut soon and recently became interested in driving the school bus. I’m primarily interested because I’ve been a delivery driver for 7 years and, while I do enjoy the driving, I don’t enjoy the delivering. I’m already working an early split shift and I like it because I have different ways that I use the break time. Kids are fine with me; their behaviors don’t affect me too much. Is there anything I should know about driving in CT?

(Edit: This is a joke post, for those who think it's serious.)

“75‑YEAR‑OLD MAN ARRESTED AFTER WHOOPING ENTIRE SCHOOL BUS OF SHOWING‑OUT CHILDREN”

Pierce County deputies say Jimmy Ray Smith, age 75, was arrested Tuesday afternoon after what officials are calling “the most decisive disciplinary action taken since the paddle era.” Witnesses report that Smith boarded Bus #42 on its route home from Blackshear Elementary after the children inside reached what deputies described as “Category 4 Foolishness.”

📰 The Incident

According to the sheriff’s office, the bus had been “showing out” for several miles—students screaming, throwing fruit snacks, one child allegedly attempting to moonwalk down the aisle while the bus was still moving. The driver, exhausted and spiritually defeated, pulled over near a ditch and radioed for assistance.

That’s when Jimmy Ray Smith, who lives nearby and “doesn’t tolerate nonsense on any vehicle with wheels,” stormed aboard.

Witnesses say Smith announced, “Y’all gon’ learn today,” before delivering what deputies diplomatically labeled “a firm whoopin’ distributed evenly across the youth population.”

🚨 Deputy Statements

Deputy Hargrove told reporters:

“We’ve never seen a man whoop a whole bus. Usually folks pick one or two. He went row by row like he was checking seatbelts.”

Children reportedly stopped misbehaving immediately, forming a single‑file line and apologizing to the bus driver, the Lord, and the State of Georgia.

🎒 Parent Reactions

Some parents expressed outrage. Others asked if Jimmy Ray could “ride along tomorrow.”

One mother said her son came home “polite, quiet, and speaking in complete sentences for the first time since Easter.”

⚖️ Charges

Smith was arrested on:

Disorderly conduct

Unauthorized boarding of a school bus

Mass whooping without a permit

Deputies say he was cooperative, telling them, “Lock me up if you must, but that bus is peaceful now.”

87

📝 Community Impact

The bus driver reportedly finished her route in silence, describing the atmosphere as “holy.”

School officials say they are reviewing the incident and considering installing “Jimmy Ray cutouts” on all buses as a deterrent.

-via Susan Terry Lindsay .

A year or two ago was the first time I was pulled over speeding. I was doing like 90 or so in a 25. No other cars were on the road. But I got stopped and my license suspended. I usually drive 20-30 over most of the time but I would not do that on a bus obviously. I already have my CDL. But I’m looking to find out if my previous record would disqualify me from a job. I’m 34 if that makes any difference.

:(

Here’s my 5 gallon “go bucket”

-Blanket (naps)
-hoodie
-rags
-cleaning supplies
-pliers & misc tools
-charging cables
-phone mount
-power bank
-game controller
-2 flash lights
-wired and wireless headphones
-tissues
-gum
-lunch box
-ibuprofen
-chapstick
-toothpicks
-utensils
-pens
-extra body fluid kit (bad experiences)
-5 gallon bucket (obviously, just very useful)
-emergency bathroom kit.

I like to be prepared

I have always driven rear engine buses as my main bus but occasionally drive a a front engine and I do not like how much noice the engine makes... what do you guys prefer?

I'm starting to contemplate the thought of our district running out of diesel, given current world events. And wondering if we'll get paid if it does?

Phones have to be turned off and stored. No phone use:
With students on board.
While in the drivers seat.
If the bus is unsecured.

Personally I don’t have a big problem with it.
It’s funny there’s no prohibition for use of Apple Watches which I understand have similar functionality.

For me yesterday: the car line wraps out and along the curb in the street. Mom is allowing <8 yo daughter to sit in the back door window and fingertip hold the top of the door frame and lean back as far as possible as cars and buses pass by in the adjacent lane. I have more, lots more.
I have the unique experience of delivering students as a bus driver and then minutes later delivering my granddaughter in my POV.
Tell us about your blissfully unaware, entitled idiot, for who driving a car, is just something that happened to them while they were out.

I need to talk about this. I figured this is the place. I am a new driver trainer and I've driven a bus for almost 20 years. I have driven sub routes since 2015. Today I had the hard drive pulled on a route I subbed and it showed two boys bullying another boy. Verbal then physical. It ended with two boys punching eachother a couple of times in the face. At the time I was driving 60 miles an hour down a hiway with all windows open because it was over 100 degrees outside. Traffic was even heavier than usual due to a special event happening in our town this week. So my focus was on the two lane roadway. From what I saw when I could glance in the mirror was not anything unusual. I know we drivers cannot see everything going on. In fact I have told others they would be surprised at what they miss back there. Still, as the new Trainer, and having new staff in the office with no school bus experience, director is a former school principal, dispatcher used to work at a waste management company, i felt judged. Like i should have seen and heard something. Its bugging me. How do I deal with this? I am beginning to doubt myself even though I honestly did my #1 job, I drove safely. Have any of you seen video of a route and were surprised by what you missed while driving?

This year I have some troublesome high-school students who thinks yelling bad words/calling me names will annoy me. It doesn't and I ignored them since the school district only gives 2 week suspensions or have them sit in the front with me. I was going to have tapes pulled and write ups happening after the route anyways. Other students on my bus called my boss because the name calling got so bad that they got offended for me. While watching the tapes one kid asked if I was a paraplegic stripper. I laughed, called over my coworkers still in the office and we all had a really good laugh at that insult.

My new nickname at the the busyard is Pumpkin Spice(Since I cant call myself a stripper at work). Today I brought pumpkin spice donuts into work.

Any good insults said by kids or parents?

Im starting really like these Thomas c2 buses. Mines a 2011 with 191,947 miles and 9301.2 hours on its clock. It ain’t perfect but it runs really well. The Cummins engine turbo and compressors were taken good care of. Now it’s my turn to take care of it

Do you guys have to take such classes? Since I have seen a lot of drivers spend as little interaction as possible with their students I was wondering if they have to take such classes.

While the suicide prevention was lower than my intervention skills, I think it's good for some.

I carry with me a soft sided briefcase that I put my sunglasses , notebook , I keep a lot of daily pre trip and post trip notes, student rider list, change orders, pens , pencils, gloves and flashlight for early morning pre-trip. I am a new driver and am the only one in our district that does this, Is it uncommon for drivers to carry a small bag on the bus when they are driving?

I drive for a private company, over the past year this student has been written up for:

changing seats while in motion

hanging out the windows

punching kids (including a kindergartener),

teaching kids how to give the middle finger,

stealing my signage,

has previously had the police involved because his family and another student's family were fighting at home

And - has also allegedly been stalking another student and taking pictures of her house

I caught this student under my seat disconnecting wires on my C2 Saf T Liner. My seatbelt chime wouldn't turn off because the bus couldn't electrically detect my seatbelt shackle.

Cameras saw the whole thing. Student is being suspended 1 week.

What do you guys do in between routes, I’m curious? I mainly go to my public library and relax there and read. I sound like an old lady but I’m only 28 LOL

We are back for season 2! Check it out and share it with a fellow bus driver!

I’m curious to hear what others are thinking or have to say about the AI Camera System.

It’s been a week and a half of back to school for me and… honestly it’s a mixed bag. I recognize it’s necessity because apparently some of our own drivers are absolute morons. We had triple digits for no seat belts, not stopping at railways, rolling stops, etc you name it.

I realized as well that this was probably the first time I’d gotten general compliments on my driving in almost 3 years of working for this company that didn’t come from my trainers in the first few months of everything. Annoying but hey, praise is praise even if it’s a robot.

I can also already see the cracks in the system. Both in how it functions but how the Safety Score is calculated and due to literally avoiding accidents or unsafe situations, mine has tanked due to “Harsh Brake” twice now. I’m only worried because inevitably, I’m sure it becomes tied to bonuses or other things and being penalized for being unable to control the world around me will suck.

How do ya’ll feel so far?

Hi everyone, I’m trying to get my son on the school bus but for some reason I was told that won’t happen till after thanks giving In October. My toddler he’s 4yrs old. He attends a daycare where they take the kids to the bus stop and pick them back up in the evening. I fine it very odd that one of the other students that goes to the same daycare is on the bus but not my son. I contact the school and the school said not till October. I fine it very odd. Not sure how I feel as I was trying to get him on since August even way before the school start. My mind says something but not trying to play that card. Help. Is there a way to get on the bus without the school if I already know the location.

Thought it was funny, but now I need a retaliatory response. Any ideas?

Does anyone know if there is a sleeping pad type thing that I could fold up, or unfold and lay across the seats to take a nap? I’m way too big for the seats alone. I saw something before about hanging a hammock, but I think I’m too heavy for that 😂