School Bus Operation: Film #2: Passengers - Driving Hazards - Safety

school buses reaching out into every corner of Rural and Suburban areas have brought into being a new kind of education for nearly 5 million children in thousands of areas such as this throughout the country school buses operate every school day over six groups and keep definite schedules stopping at arranged meeting places to pick up children so as to bring them all together in modern enlightened Community Schools a few years ago John and Mary might not have had the opportunity to attend a school like this but today you children have it a lot easier than when I was a little girl there were no school buses then I had to walk to school very far away mother yes it was or at least it seemed so in those days I bet the school you went to it wasn't as nice or as large as our school you're right John it was just a two-room country School you're fortunate to have such a good modern School with a bus to take you there and back you'll have to hurry it's nearly time for the bus and don't waste any time getting out of this Cruise bye for many children today going to school is quite a different thing than it was for their parents now school is as near as the bus stop but how safe and comfortable the trip to school will be depends on the bus and the driver you must be a good driver and be able to command the children's respect and cooperation actually the school day begins for these children when they board the bus they are then under the school's supervision these children are totally dependent on you for their comfort their welfare their transportation and their safety you who drive the school buses are just as responsible for the children in your bus as if you were a teacher and all the children are members of your class inside the school building to the parents you are much more than just a good bus driver you are responsible for their children until they reach the school you must have their confidence and Trust in cases where a child requires special care or consideration because of age or physical condition your individual responsibility to the parents of such a child is increased as a school bus driver you should take full advantage of anything that will help to make your job easier and safer the children themselves can help if you have a bus safety patrol the bus safety patrol members help you to load and unload help keep order and help to make every trip a safe trip Patrol members help both you and the children in many ways and through their efforts provide safer school bus transportation your bus must always be kept in a safe operating condition be sure that necessary repairs are made when required foreign accepts the brakes could stand a little tightening completely about my break when I stepped one of them I write them to hold do you think you could tighten them up a little before I take it out this afternoon sure it won't take long I don't blame you for being particular I wouldn't want to drive a school bus with bad break okay Tom I'll see you later I'll have it ready for you Bill goodbye keep your superintendent or whoever handles the school bus supervision informed if anything unusual arises good morning Bill I was just wondering where you were hi Miss Jones I am a little late this morning can I see Mr Johnson yes he's in the office good morning Mr Johnson good morning Bill anything wrong no sir just wanted to tell you it was a voice out on the highway that side of Middletown I was afraid to risk it so I made a slight detour and arrived at school a few minutes behind schedule here's where the washout is I cut over here down 63 and back to the main Highway here I'm glad you reported this so promptly Phil I'll inform the parents of those children who are affected by the re-routing and ask the highway commission to make repairs as soon as possible when you let me know when you can use the road again all right Mr Johnson I'll keep you informed bye by taking a few minutes to report this unusual condition Bill may have avoided inconvenience to the children and misunderstandings between the school and the parents it is just as important to get the children home on time as it is to get them to school in the morning in helping the driver to load the bus when school is over and in seating the children the members of the bus safety patrol give valuable assistance before the bus leaves the school on the Homeward trip it is the responsibility of the driver to see that each child that rides his bus is present or accounted for in groups of mixed age children they're sometimes a tendency to pick on a smaller child things like this will not happen if the children are properly seated so have the child placed in another seat with a Bus full of children you can't afford to take any driving chances it's annoying to get stuck on a hill but it could be worse if you try to pull around this truck passing on a hill is dangerous a similar danger prevails on a curve passing on a blind curve or swinging over on the wrong side often leads to trouble remember you can't see around every curve so assume something is coming never take a chance here is another danger spot where you must take all safety precautions this is very good advice for you to follow come to a Full Stop 100 feet from the track wait for the all clear signal from your Patrol then Drive slowly across do not change gears during the crossing a railroad track is no place to stall if children leaving your bus must cross the road you should see them safely across before you drive on be sure the road is clear in both directions then signal the children to cross helping your children to cross the road in safety may take a little extra effort and a little more time on your part but failure to do it just once might result in a serious accident another run nearly completed as John and Mary leave the bus for the short walk home he's a good driver and a nice man to ride with I like him he yeah for all of us I like him too to review remember you have a very definite responsibility to your children to their parents to your equipment and to the school authorities drive safely at all times don't take chances make full use of the bus safety patrol make the Children's Welfare and safety your first concern