Page 42 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

Safe Loading And Unloading Of Students

Bus Drivers and attendants are to load and unload students at assigned bus stops only. Exceptions
must be approved in writing, by the school principal or his/her designee, or by a coordinator.

 Compliance with all loading, unloading, and bus parking procedures as established is mandatory
 Drivers must never leave the school bus unattended while students are aboard
 Do not permit students to get off the bus once they have boarded the bus, except on arrival at
their school in the morning, and on arrival at their regular bus stop in the afternoon
 When students are boarding the bus they should be greeted in a friendly manner, i.e. saying good
morning or afternoon, use the handrail, good to see you
 It is the driver’s responsibility to see that all students cross the road appropriately and safely in
front of the school bus and never in back or behind the bus. Students should only cross the street
after receiving a clear signal from the Bus Driver
 Students are NEVER permitted to cross a multiple lane road. Any instance should be immediately
reported to dispatch.
 In the a.m. before leaving the unloading zone at the school facility the driver/attendant must
perform a between-trip inspection.
 In the p.m. after unloading the last student from the bus, the driver should find a safe place to
pull off the roadway near their last drop-off and perform a between trip inspection before
proceeding to the next destination
 Never make a child exit the bus in the p.m. if they are scared, don’t seem to know where they are
or are lost, contact facility for guidance
 All students with disabilities must be met by a parent or guardian UNLESS it is in writing on the
PBSD form 1848.
 Drivers are to make every effort to help identify any motorist that passes their school bus while it
is stopped for loading/unloading. Report the location and time this occurs to your dispatcher
upon returning to the facility, your supervisor will report this to the School Police Department.

Procedures for Loading and Unloading Students on the Street or Highway

 Check mirrors and traffic
 Start slowing down and cover the brake pedal. Apply brakes as necessary
 Activate amber student warning lights a minimum of 200 feet in advance of the bus stop. If the
stop is after a turn, wait until the turn is started before activating the student warning lights.
Never sit at a red traffic light with your amber lights activated.
 Pull as far to the right as possible to stop, but stay on the traveled portion of the roadway
 Bus stops should be made before a turn lane begins.
 Do not pull up any closer than 12 feet from the waiting students. Always stop short if students
are too close to the bus. Never use the bus to move students back from the street.
 Come to a complete stop
 Deactivate amber student warning lights and activate the red student warning lights and stop
arms
 Shift the bus to “N” (Neutral) and activate the parking brake. Cover the service brake pedal

Page 42 of 149
Safe Loading And Unloading Of Students