Page 3 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY, SCHEDULES AND ROUTES ........................................... 26

FOLLOWING ROUTE AND TIME SCHEDULES ............................................................................................. 26
DRIVING PERFORMANCE ...................................................................................................................... 26
TURNS .............................................................................................................................................. 27
SPEED ............................................................................................................................................... 27
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF STUDENTS ............................................................... 27
SAFE DRIVING BEHAVIOR ..................................................................................................................... 27
SAFETY AT BUS STOPS, ON THE ROAD, LOADING, UNLOADING ................................................................... 28
BACKING UP THE BUS .......................................................................................................................... 28
SAFETY LIGHTS ................................................................................................................................... 29

DEFENSIVE DRIVING PROCEDURES ............................................................... 30

THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES OPERATORS SHOULD REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES: .................................................... 30
FIVE BASIC RULES ............................................................................................................................... 30
DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE ................................................................................................................. 31
DRIVING ON MULTI-LANE STREETS ........................................................................................................ 31
INTERSECTIONS/BUS SPACING .............................................................................................................. 31

RAILROAD CROSSINGS PROCEDURES ........................................................... 32
APPROACHING A RAILROAD CROSSING ................................................................................................... 32
DANGEROUS OR HAZARDOUS RAILROAD CROSSING ................................................................................. 33
WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF TROUBLE AT THE RAILROAD CROSSING OR ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS .............. 33
EMERGENCY WARNING AND EVACUATION PROCEDURES ............................ 34

REPORTING FOR DUTY ......................................................................................................................... 34
RETURNING TO WORK AFTER AN EMERGENCY ......................................................................................... 34
SERIOUS ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHILE ON YOUR ROUTE ........................................................... 34
MANDATORY EMERGENCY EVACUATION ................................................................................................ 34
WHEN TO EVACUATE .......................................................................................................................... 34
SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS DURING AN EVACUATION ............................................................................... 34
PLANNING FOR EVACUATION ................................................................................................................ 35
OBTAINING ASSISTANCE DURING AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION ................................................................. 35
STUDENT MANAGEMENT ............................................................................. 36

PROACTIVE STUDENT MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................... 36
RULES, REGULATIONS, AND STUDENT CONDUCT ...................................................................................... 36
STUDENT MISCONDUCT ON A SCHOOL BUS............................................................................................. 37
USE OF CELL PHONES BY STUDENTS: ...................................................................................................... 38
STUDENT SUSPENSION FROM THE BUS ................................................................................................... 38
EXPECTED BEHAVIOR OF TRANSPORTED STUDENTS .................................................................................. 39
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS .............................................................................................................. 40
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL .......................................................................................... 41
SAFE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF STUDENTS ........................................... 42

PROCEDURES FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING STUDENTS ON THE STREET OR HIGHWAY ................................. 42
LOADING AND UNLOADING STUDENTS AT SCHOOL CENTERS ...................................................................... 43
SELECTING THE BEST LOCATION FOR A BUS STOP ..................................................................................... 43

Page 3 of 149
Message from the Director