r/SchoolBusDrivers

When a school bus company trains you for a CDL, are you required to work morning and afternoon runs? Do they make you sign a contract making you stay for a school year or some other given amount of time? I just want to do mornings.

One of my favorite parts of driving kids is when they sing along with the radio. I actually have a playlist with a bunch of songs I know they'll join in on for the days when I need a little serotonin boost. Are there any songs that you guys have noticed the kids will usually join in on? My list is starting to get a little stale!

Hey guys, just curious as to why this isn’t a thing, but maybe it is…. So, at our “barn” the minimum we get is 5 hours per day at $30 per hour- some routes are longer for sure. I also drive a shuttle van for a tour company in the evenings/weekends. In total, I clear just over $3k every two weeks (not including tips). Do you guys do anything like this? Work a side gig to bump up that salary a bit?

Why does the driver need to spend hours with the bus when it is serviced? Isn't that the mechanics job?

As we look ahead to a new school year starting up soon (ours starts 7/23!!), I would love to hear some of your thoughts and things you would like to hear from your dispatcher at the beginning of the year meetings. I am in the process of making my PowerPoint and want to make it as meaningful... and not boring as possible.

Thanks for any tips you send my direction! Happy driving, everyone!!

Hello! Does anyone have a recommendation to get the best airflow through the bus beyond open all the windows? Also with less ear popping pressure if possible.

One of my K pickups years ago was so small, she had to use a knee to get up on the first step. I saw her wedding photos last week. Time flies.

I have the pre trip down, confident that my driving skills are great but for some damn reason both times I’ve practiced the pull up around the cones when I go to do the back up I get all fucking dyslexic and turn the wheel the wrong way get way to close to the cones in the left side. I know you have two allowed pull ups to correct yourself but my trainer said I don’t need them and gets so annoyed and baffled that I keep doing it I literally did it like 4 times in a row and she just was like k go again AGAIN. I finally was able to reel my anxiety in and do it properly the last time but I’m stressing that if I fumble that during the test it is what will fail me. I’m in Washington idk if the cdl point system is different other places but just for some peace of mind if I completely fuck that up do I fail? I’m so ready to be done training and repeating the verbiage. I’m going to practice doing it the backing the cones tomorrow. Also I’m great at backing around a corner and turn arounds with no problem so I’m not sure wtf my problem is. I’ve legit wondered most my life if I am dyslexic (my daughter was recently diagnosed with being dyslexic so it kinda validated that) I obviously wouldn’t try to use that as a excuse because it sounds unsafe or something. I know I’m fully capable but can’t stop mind fucking myself especially after messing up like 7 times. Any words of support or encouragement tips. Really hoping tomorrow goes better don’t feel like getting chewed out and so over focused on turning the wheel right so i back in straighter that I don’t miss the cone I need to line up with ugh!
Thanks for reading my vent

When you are laid off for summer do you do EI or not? Had issues?

Pata hai aaj kya hua?

On Monday, I accidentally got on the wrong bus while going home. I only realized it after the bus had already gone quite far from my usual route.

I immediately told the conductor and then the driver that I had taken the wrong bus, hoping they could help me somehow. The driver barely responded and just dropped me at a bus stop and left.

The problem was that it was already night. There were no buses going back, and even though a few autos were around, I was too scared to get into one alone.

For a few minutes, I genuinely didn't know what to do. Then I remembered my boyfriend and called him. He didn't pick up, which made me panic even more. Later I found out that his mom had called him and he was talking to her.

I texted him saying that I was stuck at a bus stop. Within a minute, he replied with "Wait" and called me back. I explained the whole situation to him.

He didn't tell me to book an auto. He didn't tell me to figure it out myself. He just said okay, got on his bike, and came to pick me up.

The funny thing is that it was final exam season and he was already exhausted from studying. Still, he came all the way, picked me up, and dropped me safely home.

Looking back, I think that was the moment I realized how much peace of mind the right person can give you.

I’m so mad at myself I just started driving this Monday and I’m so mad I missed a stop this morning got all the way to the school and the kids tell me I missed a stop I went back after tho but it’s beating me up I gotta do better🤦🏻‍♂️

This is my first year driving school buses. Just recently passed the CDL B exam and got to run a few routes during summer school before that ended. Man, I love driving buses. So much fun and much more chill than previous jobs I’ve had that were stress-ridden. I’ll probably do some recruiting this summer and drive a shuttle until the fall start starts again. What do you guys do in the summer?

I'm in a spare bus today and it has no radio which means I gotta sing songs in my head. This wouldn't be a problem except for my fucking ADHD alphabet soup inner voices!

Voice 1 is doing fine.
Voice 2 is singing off key.
Voice 3 doesn't know the lyrics.
Voice 4 is like "HEY MACARENA!"
Nobody knows where Voice 5 is!
And Voice 6 has his head stuck in the fridge and he's eating all the fucking cheese!!!

Hey everybody does anybody have any bus monitoring advice I just applied and I got accepted so now I need to do drug tests and other stuff but just before I start working there what advice do you guys recommend or can give me