Page 17 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

Bus Attendant Duties

 Assist in all pre-school students up and down the bus stairwell
 Assist Physically-impaired students up and down the bus stairwell as needed
 Help any student who needs assistance getting on or off the bus
 With the bus driver’s assistance, open and close the bus-lift door and help students who are in a
wheelchair on/off the lift in the absence of a parent or school personnel, or when a
parent/guardian cannot help due to extenuating circumstances
 Operate the wheelchair lift with the bus driver’s assistance
 With the assistance of the bus driver, secure wheelchairs and secure students in their occupants
restraint systems
 With the assistance of the bus driver, secure students into Child Safety Restraint Systems such as
vests or car seats
 Clean the bus when needed
 Help students follow the bus rules and procedures
 Be alert to student passenger needs at all times. Give assistance to students, provide direction to
them and help maintain order on the bus.
 The bus attendant must work closely with the bus driver. Both must know and understand how to
work with special needs students, special equipment, and special buses.

Bus Attendants Position on Bus

 It is recommended that a bus attendant sit in the rear of the bus or in the last seat behind
students. The bus attendant must be seated in an upright position with both feet on the floor of
the bus, in the aisle seat at all times.
 If a wheelchair bus has hook-ups towards the back of the bus, this allows the bus attendant to
observe and supervise all students. In buses that are configured with wheelchair hook-ups in the
front or middle of the bus, you may need to seat yourself in a different location in order to
observe the students more directly.
 Occasionally, there may be circumstances in which you will be asked by your supervisor to sit in a
seat other than the rear of the bus, or behind the last row of students.
 DO NOT STAND WHILE THE BUS IS IN MOTION. UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.
 The bus attendant may be relocated to handle an emergency situation while the bus is stopped at
a stop sign or traffic signal. OTHERWISE, ask the driver to pull over as soon as possible, then
attend to the situation.

School-Based Attendants on Bus Routes

 On rare occasions, personnel from school sites work as substitute bus attendants for the
Transportation Department as an additional duty. These persons may be a “one-on- one”, nurse,
or a paraprofessional for a particular student with behavior and/or health issues. Often, these
school personnel may have special training for assisting the student during the bus ride.

Page 17 of 149
Duties and Responsibilities of Bus Drivers and Bus Attendants