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Ashley829
New Member
USA
2 Posts |
 Posted - 09/25/2002 : 09:46:19 AM
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My children take a Mini bus, we live on a dead end road. Now I understand that we are only 3 weeks into the new school year and bus routes have been changed, but my kids and the other 8 kids on the bus get to school 20 min late EVERYDAY! I have spoke to the area supervisor, still late, I have gone to the school board president and he did straighten out the tardiness, now we have an angry bus driver, she told the kids (k-5) that because of them telling their parents whats going on, she is in trouble with the bus company. These kids are NOT allowed to talk, read, or carry a luch box (out of their backpac) on the bus. I do like the driver as she is a very safe driver with a great record as a driver, but her communication skills with the kids stinks, yesterday she told them she would bring them to school and leave them there. Any suggestions on how I can lighten up the mood?
Diane
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 11:03:25 AM
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Diane,
I like it when a parent brings a concern or any complaint to this forum. You can expect to read professional highly skilled responses from bus drivers and administrators on this forum. Be prepared as well to hear from a few less professional.
I agree with you completely -- although I question somewhat the validity of the story. Regardless, bus drivers must not arbitrarily blame the kids for problems with the bus not arriving on time. If disruptive behavior is causing the delays then that's a valid issue that must be resolved. However, poor or mismanaged scheduling must not be blamed on the kids.
Routes can change any time of the year, as the transportation provider must, by law in some cases and for profit in other cases, provide the most efficient service possible.
Expect mis scheduling at the beginning of the year -- Were it to go on for too long a time than the provider is not efficient but may be mismanaging, deliberately short-cutting their routes to save or make money. Most would not consider such behavior providing safe transportation.
The first two or three weeks schedules can bounce all over the time map, but soon after safe transportation stays within five minutes or so of the published schedule. None of this is usually the driver's doing so I'm at a loss as to what reasoning a provider would use to get the driver in trouble.
Always expect, acknowledge and encourage the bus driver to drive at a safe speed. And expect the provider to route and schedule so as to encourage a safe speed.
As far as, "the kids are NOT allowed to talk, read, or carry a lunch box (out of their backpack) on the bus," none of this is outside safe student practices on the buses -- any bus in any state. The actions might be appropriate, and it is certainly important for bus drivers or the provider to give parents the reasoning for these actions.
A loud bus is a dangerous school bus. The k-5 behavior, very loud, disrespectful toward each other or the driver may warrant a no talking rule. The driver may decide to ease the expectation after the kids demonstrate they can control their voices. An effective way to find out who can't control their voice is to prohibit any talking.
The lunch pail in the backpack is a common practice. Young kids can use those items as devices to hit other kids. Keeping everything the kids bring on the bus in their backpacks helps keep the bus a safe place for kids and reduces lost items.
I'm uncertain about the not allowed to read expectation on that bus. Most kids need something to do and reading (not out loud) or looking at a picture book occupies time. On the east coast there are a growing number of reading buses that promote kids reading on their buses. It's possible that reading out loud is the issue, rather than reading a soft-cover book.
Here's my suggestion on how parents can lighten the mood, even when the bus driver's training is poor to nonexisting.
Always demonstrate a support toward the bus drivers safety efforts. Send a note that you can understand where a few kids misbehavior can result in a loss of some privileges to all the kids on the bus. (You might as well accept this reality)
The talking rule is the one you have an excellent chance of changing. In a note support the driver's attempt to calm the bus down -- agree with the expectation. Tell the driver you have instructed your children to follow the no talking rule. Now that you've established your support to help the bus driver keep the bus safe, ask the driver at what point the kids might be allowed to talk quietly only with the kids sitting in the seat with them. I have to tell you that keeping the control with the bus driver can be an effective way to get what you want.
Reading can be addressed in a similar way. Kids do need something to do and perhaps the kids following the bus drivers directions might be allow to read a book during their trip. Older students might be allowed to listen to a radio with headphones or play an electronic game with the sound turned off. Kids refusing to follow directions might be removed from the bus. There's all sorts of possibilities, depending on policy and the students collective behavior on that bus.
I hope this is of some help. Please feel free to present differences in any issue answered here that you find any disagreement with. (jk)
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Ashley829
New Member
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 12:05:52 PM
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JK,
Thanks for such a quick response.
And I agree with you 100% "A Loud bus is a dangerous bus" However, like I said there are only 10 kids on the bus, 7 have been on this route for 3 years, we have NEVER had a no talking policy until AFTER a few parents called the bus company to complain about the tardiness of the bus arriving at school in the A.M..
As far as the lunch pail in the backpack, it refers to a 5th grade boy who is in advanced classes, therefore carries more then the normal amount of books in his pack, thus leaves little room if any for a lunch pail.
I do and always have supported my driver, and have verbalized so to her, I believe on a saftey level the kids are safe, on a verbal abuse level she is out of control and has no right to discuss with the children what is said between the parents and the bus company!
Thanks again your input has been very helpful.
Diane
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 12:28:58 PM
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Ashley829,
I have been driving bus for 23 years, unfortunately I do not have any advice for some of the problems, the bus being late should have been straightened out by now, if the bus continues to arrive to school late every day be persistant in calling school officials.
As for the student not being allowed to carry the lunch box on the bus, bring up the arguement of if the student can keep it in his lap their shouldn't be a problem. I usually tell the kids when the bus is full and I have to have three elementary students in a seat that they have to put their belongings in their lap and not on the seat. As for the "no talking rule" go with what JK said talk to the driver, I personally think it's rediculous that this is an everyday rule, I only use this on certain occasions when most of the students are misbehaving, example, yelling and not being quiet after asked to do so, there shouldn't be a need for this policy everyday, especially not on a type a bus there aren't that many kids on it.
And yes, she has no right to discuss with the students what is going on between her and the bus company, if it was her fault that the students were late, then the bus company will deal with her, as for the students reporting to their parents that they are late everyday, she can not hold that against them, she is the driver, it is her responsability to get them there on time, if there are scheduling problems, she needs to talk to her supervisor to work it out.
Good Luck and I hope everything works out well for you.
"America's #1 Conventional School Bus- Thomas/International."
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 1:47:48 PM
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JK writes...
quote:
Be prepared as well to hear from a few less professional.
Are you saying that those who don't work with school buses have inferior comments? Just wondering.
---
God Bless America!
http://www.schoolbuscentral.cjb.net
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1983WardFord
Top Member
USA
1395 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 2:35:16 PM
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quote:
Are you saying that those who don't work with school buses have inferior comments? Just wondering.
I think he means "less professional" in the way of some of the childish crap that we've been dealing with lately.
It's BIG, it's YELLOW, it has RED flashing lights. What part didn't you see?
Ryan's School Bus Yard--www.busman49.com |
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2002 : 6:41:26 PM
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Why so few students on a run? There are economies of scale in having several buses picking up a larger group of students.
If a scheduling issue, maybe some problem-solving would help:
1. perhaps another bus can, if one is available at that time, help your driver by picking up a few students.
2. possibly set up a transfer point so more than one bus collects the kids (and possibly others to other schools) and brings them to a central point for tansfer.
3. maybe another bus and driver are needed so the route can be split. Are both available? If not, when will they be?
Bottom line is that the school district is bound to do whatever they must to get all students to school safely and on time - in that order. By now that should have been accomplished.
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2002 : 2:20:19 PM
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quote:
Why so few students on a run? There are economies of scale in having several buses picking up a larger group of students.
If a scheduling issue, maybe some problem-solving would help:
1. perhaps another bus can, if one is available at that time, help your driver by picking up a few students.
2. possibly set up a transfer point so more than one bus collects the kids (and possibly others to other schools) and brings them to a central point for tansfer.
3. maybe another bus and driver are needed so the route can be split. Are both available? If not, when will they be?
Bottom line is that the school district is bound to do whatever they must to get all students to school safely and on time - in that order. By now that should have been accomplished.
The low amount of children on the run may be due to the area that they are in, perhaps they're in a rural area or just really far from the schools. She did say they're on a mini bus, so the district is keeping economics in mind with sending out a smaller bus.
As for being late, prehaps there are many delays on her previous run if she has one which may be due to special education students, behavior problems, or traffic. Instad of complaining, (I don't mean to make it sound so derogatory) you could maybe negotiate with the bus company to help with routing problems. They could consolidate bus stops if possible to reduce the time the bus is stopped if nothing else works. We still have a bus that comes late or just on the bell still, so it's not too abnormal.
Stop at: http://www.buses.cjb.net
Forums: http://thebusboy.proboards2.com
This is an industry where people brag about their times for 60-0, not 0-60. |
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Bus late everyday, can a bus driver here help me?
