Drivers’ wish list

The one thing that would best allow us to do the job better is improved discipline. All other factors taken into consideration —wages, training, equipment, local policies and politics — I’d say anyone who doesn’t recognize the impact of poor enforcement of discipline in our school systems needs to reach up and re-adjust that big mirror. Some rather stark examples of bad behavior I have had to encounter in my three short years doing this have caused me to become more of an advocate for our children by insisting problem behavior be dealt with responsibly by the school administration. And sometimes that has meant in the local courts. Cecil Goodroe, driver and trainer Atlanta We need training to deal with special-needs children who are in our care. If there is a chance of some kind of medical emergency, we should know what signs to look for. Michele Kuhne, school bus driver Gloversville, N.Y. Communication, training, cooperation and respect all come to mind, but each is far too broad to be the single thing that gets in the way. What one change would allow me to do this better? Improved student discipline. I believe if we could get the students to sit quietly on the bus, it would improve safety, punctuality, driver moral, turnover, wear and tear of the buses, etc. Dave Cobb, school bus driver Austin, Texas Compiled from the forums at schoolbusfleet.com