Page 43 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

 Do another check of mirrors and traffic
 After all traffic has stopped, open door and signal students to board or get off the bus, one at a
time
 Do not proceed until all students are seated safely or have reached a point of safety. Students
should be cleared of the “danger zones”, 12 feet to the front, sides, and rear of the bus, and the
areas adjacent to the wheels of the bus. It is the driver’s duty to check this after each and every
stop!
 Drivers MUST do a final check in the student mirror to ensure all students are in a seat and then
announce “Please put your seatbelt on”
 A final traffic and mirror-check should be conducted by the driver before de-activating the red
student warning lights, releasing the parking brake and shifting into “D” to proceed
 A school Bus Driver must observe the same traffic laws as other vehicles when another school bus
is loading or discharging students. The driver who is waiting for the other bus should not use the
four-way emergency flashers or students warning light system.

Loading and Unloading Students at School Centers

 The school bus must be parked in its designated area or space
 Place the bus in “N” (Neutral), apply the emergency brake, disengage the master switch from the
student warning lights, and turn off the motor
 Driver may start the motor 10 minutes prior to students loading to cool off the bus
 Do not unload at a school center if there is not a school official present to supervise the students
 The Bus Driver should not leave the school bus unattended when students are on board
 A driver must not drive around another school bus that is loading or unloading, either on school
grounds or away from school grounds
 Before leaving the school in the p.m. the driver MUST do a final check in the student mirror to
ensure all students are seated and announce “Please put your seatbelt on”
 Before leaving each school in the morning, all drivers and attendants must complete a between
trip inspection. Drivers/attendants must check each seat for damage, items left behind and hiding
or sleeping students.
 De-activate the student check alarm before leaving the bus unattended

Selecting the Best Location for a Bus Stop

It is the Bus Driver’s responsibility to establish a safe pick-up and safe drop-off point at each bus
stop if the exact location is not indicated on the route sheet. If a stop is unsafe, the driver should
immediately notify Dispatch. The Bus Driver is to use the following criteria when selecting the best
location for a bus stop:

 The stop must have an adequate off-street waiting area for students, at least 4 feet from the
roadway
 The driver must have 200 feet visibility to the front and rear of the bus and other motorists
 The stop should be 50 feet before or at least 200 feet after the intersection
 The driver shall not block an intersection or a side street with the school bus

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Safe Loading And Unloading Of Students