What Part of 'Don't Walk in Front of the Bus' Don't You Understand?

School Bus Stories recounts what happened earlier this week with a rider who was once struck by a bus but who still won't listen to pleas not to step in front of the bus.

... while I was waiting to unload the kid came walking by my bus to catch a transfer bus. He threw a water bottle up into the air and it landed in front of my bus where more buses were shortly due to be pulling up in front of my bus. The kid impulsively jumped into the street to retrieve the water bottle.

I opened the door my bus and went down the steps. I sternly told the kid that he is, was not to go into the street in front of my bus or any bus. That it was dangerous and that I did not want to see him get hurt.

... This kid might believe that I told him not to jump out in front of the bus because of his story about getting run over by a bus. Not true. I have been taught by my trainers that students are not to do that and that it's dangerous. I have read the stories of these accidents.

It is dangerous. That kid is an example of how dangerous it can be and that bus drivers, how ever diligent and watchful and careful and cautious can make a mistake. There are a multitude of distractions that can occur from a call on a radio to an occurrence outside or inside the bus that shifts attention.

Do you have riders like this? How can drivers get kids to understand safety in the Danger Zone?

Seating Charts -- Your Responses

A couple of weeks ago, we discussed some state trooper's endorsement of seating charts on school buses. We also asked what's going on in your operation in terms of evacuation drills and seating charts and got some replies worth revisiting.

• A 30-year retired school bus driver told us he always had a seating chart on his bus. It helped him knew which students were on board and limited damage to the bus. "I also told the students they were responsible for that seat area if there was any damage they would be the first to be blamed, so they should report any damage they noticed to me right away. In 30 years I only had 4 seats cut," the driver wrote.
• A comment told us seating charts were nothing new in his/her district but noted the district divided the bus into a boys' side and girls' side: "This has helped stop some inappropriate touching."
• Another anonymous comment noted two evacuation drills with all school personnel were required every year in Texas. The district's special needs practices are worth paying some special attention to: "For special needs, our drivers compile a written evacuation plan keeping their students disabilities in mind such as, 'Johnny is autistic and may run, therefore he will need extra supervision.' After I have reviewed the written plan the special needs drivers are cleared to practice twice each year as they unload their students at school during the morning route.
• Finally, Brenda said she had made some suggestions for evacuation drills, but had been shot done. She wants your ideas for evacuation drills. Any help?
  

Never put off till tomorrow...

...what you can do today, Cheri Clymer reminds readers in her the first posting of her blog EmergenC (get it?). Clymer, a transportation safety trainer at Thompson School District Loveland, Colo., says training for weather related disasters before they arrive is vital.

if you don't have an emergency plan for your transportation center or if you have not exercised your plan, it requires your immediate attention. Do you know how you fit in the district emergency plan? Are your buses a transportation option for the city, county, etc. in an emergency? Do you have an established crisis team and have they practiced working together in a simulated emergency?

Cold weather may be retreating, but what is your school doing to prepare for the next season of potential emergencies? Share your thoughts here and be sure to visit Clymer's blog for more updates.

Talk About Having a Bad Day

Some days just stink. We've all had them, but perhaps note quite as bad as a 5-year-old boy did in Yakima, Wash., or perhaps his bus driver who just couldn't figure out where that smell was coming from.

According to news reports, the student had an accident --yes that kind of accident -- in his classroom. The teacher called the boy's father to alert him of the situation, to which Dad replied that his son had a change of clothes in his backpack. Sounds like a typical day in the life of a Kindergartner? Think again.

When the school bus dropped the boy at home that afternoon, his parents noticed he was wearing the same clothes and was completely clean. Then they opened his backpack. Inside, according to the parents, the teacher bagged up a piece of feces wrapped in a paper towel. A note accompanied it: "This little turd was on the floor in my classroom." But with the boy's clean appearance, the parents believe Mr. Hanky might belong to someone else.

While the school reps said they were investigating the incident, it makes you wonder what qualifications this teacher has that he or she would do such a thing to their 5-year-old student. Sensitivity training for teachers -- and bus drivers -- is vital in today's school environment, but this instance shows sheer stupidity. School transportation personnel are used to cleaning up excrement on the bus, so perhaps there's an opportunity here for departments to take stock of their own albeit mundane SOPs. Certainly messy situations are fun, but we're in the business of child education. You'd think other teachers, students and certainly the bus driver might smell a trail of something nasty emanating from that boy's backpack. And obviously the schools themselves need to revisit the basics.

Mama said there'd be days like this, but especially for this little tyke (and his parents) this one really reeks of a complete breakdown in adult supervision, leadership and common sense by those employed to care for our children.

Goodbye Mr. Al and Thank You

Earlier this week, we talked about how operations honor retiring drivers. We received one comment that we couldn't let go unread. Congratulations Al and thank you for all the safe rides.

This may be my one shot at speaking out so here goes. I am retired from the US Navy and was urged to get my CDL just over fifteen years ago. Got them on a Tuesday and at 6:15 the next morning with snow,sleet,freezing rain and fog I got the call,"Get up here, I need a driver". So my career started and I have enjoyed most of it. Beautifull sunrises and sunsets,deer, raccoons, birds and kids. All have served to make my 250,000 miles a vast source of joy and learning. I'll never forget my kids, the preschooler who rode for a year never saying a word, until her last day when she looked up the steps and said, "I love you Mr. Al". Or the fine young man who is serving our country at my urging. He told me he knew exactly who he is and what he was doing. There are lots of others but I think you get my point. So I'll close wishing you all safe days and pleasant stories. Keep the wheels rolling, the schedule on time and kids safe. I am retiring in May to spend more time with my wife and grandchildren. God Bless America. Al Murray, Robertson County Bd of Ed, Mt. Olivet, Ky.

Let's Go to the Replay ...

A Tennessee school bus driver has been cited in a school bus crash the injured several students, VolunteerTV.com reports. None of the seven students that were taken to the hospital after the bus struck a pole, but questions remain, namely, why didn't the onboard video recorder record:

Loudon County Schools has suspended the driver until the schools investigation is complete, which will go forward without video from the camera installed on the bus. Questions remain why a memory card was not in place.

The other question. Why wasn't the driver wearing his seat belt?

"[He] was actually thrown from the driver's seat due to not wearing a seat belt. He was able to get back in his seat and get control of the vehicle and stop the bus," a state trooper said.

Sound Familiar: Safety Regulation Means High School Transportation Costs (in Dubai)

This from the Nation's Press: Recent regulations of school buses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are sending the cost of school bus service "through the roof," the Gulf News reported. Schools are worried about the cost of the safety regulations and one has reportedly cut a number of buses to stay in budget. The principal told the paper:

"We are really worried about the fee increase because ours has always been an affordable school. But the overhaul and maintenance of school buses as per the RTA regulations are going to be too expensive for the school to afford."

Parents are worried, too. They said they don't like the idea of having to pick up the added cost of the safety regulation.

"I have three children going to school from next year and that means, I have to cough up around Dh10,000 [approx: $2,722.2 USD] alone as school transportation charges."