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HollisterBus
Senior Member
USA
55 Posts |
 Posted - 09/23/2005 : 11:31:52 AM
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| I need some good Incentives on how to keep bus drivers. We all know pay is always an Issue but I feel our School District pays as well as anybody else. We do pay full health benifts on all our drivers plus 5 sick days and two personal days. What else can we offer to make the driver come back year after year. Something else,we have really been hit hard with health issuses. Heart and cancer problems have hit three of our drivers this week. Gone just like that !!!. I have only three subs for a fleet of 14 drivers. Next Question! How do you hire healthy drivers? I guess you can only do the best you can but any help here would be great. Hope to hear from someone. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2005 : 1:51:37 PM
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| A/C in our buses has helped, and like you said a pay raise. And they get upgraded to newer, better buses every few years. |
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CountGirl
Top Member
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2005 : 8:25:35 PM
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I suggest keeping a good morale around the place. I.E. keep inspirational posters on the walls (you can get some from SBF) and always encourage your drivers. Also, back them up for whatever problems they report to you, i.e. they explain that they are having a problem with Ronny and Johnny fighting, put in a camera, or switch buses to one with a camera. You can back them up with the administration too, support them while they fight for better control etc. and disipline from the school admin. A superior, boss, and driver can really rattle some cages if you did it right.
As far as health problems you really can't prevent things like heart problems and cancer. If you are friends with the drivers involved with those health issues, occasionally send them some encouraging cards or something in the year they aren't driving....cards and stuff do wonders to let someone know, if nothing else, that you care.
Count |
Give me a yellow object. Yes. Right now. I need my yellow chocolate, for goodness sake! |
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HollisterBus
Senior Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 06:17:30 AM
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| Good info Country Girl!. Soon we will be moving into a new Transportaion Building witch will be state of the art for the drivers and Mechanic. Inspirational Posters are a great idea! The only reason I haven't done anything like that in the past was because of our transportaion building now is so old a dirty. Inspirational posters will set a positive atmosphere for the drivers break room. This will be a great start!!!! |
Tony HatField |
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bustroy
Senior Member
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 06:42:56 AM
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| Offer a monthly bonus. I'd get some coats,jackets,sweaters,rain gear or what ever your district doesnt offer your drivers as a way to earn an item for great attendance.Must have your transportation logo on it.They even came out with nice bus watches,that drivers can earn. Throw a driver bus bash party to show them how much they are (apper).Do a monthly pizza lunch day. And another good thing. Have a gathering with your drivers and let them talk about issues and concerns. And take time to hear them out and fix issues of concern.That shows you care and it helps keep every one happy. |
Driver Trainer |
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HollisterBus
Senior Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 06:50:48 AM
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| I also I have great repore ( did I spell that right?) with all the drivers. I also drive a bus route so I fell there pain. Our house principals stand behind our drivers in the student conduct reports they write. I know this for sure because I am in 95% of the student conferences with the principals. So I do feel our Administrators are behind are drivers. Has anyone ever tried weekly awards or monthly awards? |
Tony HatField |
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HollisterBus
Senior Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 06:56:49 AM
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| Bustroy, great ideas!!! Have you tried this yourself with your drivers? |
Tony HatField |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 11:32:07 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by HollisterBus
... Has anyone ever tried weekly awards or monthly awards?
Yes, with kids on the bus and the employer with employees. In both cases the incentives quickly become a right - everybody wants it because so-n-so got it. Treating kids and adults like animals does not build relationships. In fact, according to one expert that trains the untrainable, giving animals rewards does not work well or build a relationship. His approach with the most difficult animals may actually work with difficult kids and adults as well.
Air conditioning, a definite plus. Bus driver support must be effective, in that driver stress shows significant reductions. Providing violence prevention training, combined with effective driver support and pay that retains should eventually yield a surplus of applicants at your facility. (jk)
FREE School Bus Safety Ads
Free to use at websites, in newsletters, memos, the local press, letters to parents and more. Note that the photos area is under revision - The school bus safety ads area is now available. This is a very popular Website. If you can't get in bookmark the page and try again later.
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 09/24/2005 11:34:25 AM |
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Salaskie
Advanced Member
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 1:13:29 PM
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| All the above are great suggestions. One thing our drivers appreciate is at the monthly safety meeting we celebrate any birthday that month. A cake with names on it if you have several. Or small plastic cups of jello, warm applesauce...use your imagination! Plus...a birthday is our excuse to take white board markers and write HAPPY BIRTHDAY on the windows of their bus. The students love this too. Gives them an excuse to be nice to the driver :-) |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 1:47:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Salaskie
... One thing our drivers appreciate is at the monthly safety meeting we celebrate any birthday that month. A cake with names on it if you have several. Or small plastic cups of jello, warm applesauce...use your imagination! Plus...a birthday is our excuse to take white board markers and write HAPPY BIRTHDAY on the windows of their bus. The students love this too. Gives them an excuse to be nice to the driver :-)
I like this - very much agree with this excellent approach. (jk)
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Edited by - JK on 09/24/2005 1:49:37 PM |
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mlkdrives41
Top Member
USA
2055 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 4:19:04 PM
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I agree with what everybody else has posted so far. Especially keeping in touch with those that are out sick. When you are laid up on the couch day after day with just 4 walls to look at a card or a visit or even a phone call means so much.
Plus the work environment means a lot when you have to go into the same office/break room day after day. Brighten it up if you can, keep the temperature comfortable (which can be difficult when some are always hot and others always cold) Don't let it look like a garage sale in there. People may mean well when they bring in clothes for people to go through and soda bottles to redeem but it makes for an oppressive gloomy, cluttered atmosphere. Give it a time limit and then get rid of it. Keep it clean.
Give people a place to work to be proud of. Keep the outside spaces neat, grass(weeds)cut outside, empty the trash, that kind of thing.
Hiring healthy drivers? I am not a supervisor but if I was the person who hired I would look at the length of their past jobs. If you can ask why a person left previous jobs you might find out they were out a lot or something. Age really doesn't determine how healthy someone is going to be. We had at least one retired guy who never missed a day of work and young people who are out all the time. |
Nothing great has ever been accomplished without enthusiasm! |
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bustroy
Senior Member
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 5:31:37 PM
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| yes,This does work and help. With all the ideas here. |
Driver Trainer |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2005 : 8:02:39 PM
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| In my county we have 1600 buses and theya re divded into about 30-35 pyramids, with a few supervisors assigned to each one, In my pyramid the supervidors are VERY good to the drivers, they give presents on holidays, and on days where we get extended weekends, the day before they stand at a table and give out bageks and juice and coffee to all the drivers, before winter break they give out pointsettas to each driver, they give chocolate before valentines day, and they make big shiny stars that say the drivers bus number's on them to make their buses more fun, they also give out doughnuts on the last day of school, and birthday cards to drivers (They are very personable people and want their group of 50 or so drivers to be happy throughout the years) They also pass up the chance for themselves to get upgrades on their buses so that their drivers can get them first, this year, 2 of them finaly excepted a 2006 IC RE with A/C, but in their eyes, their drivers come first! They just like to have a lot of fun, some of it may have to do with the fact that they are all women except for 1 and they are into Frilly things, so they just have A GOOD OLE' time doing this stuff for their drivers out of their own pockets! On the first day of school, they are standing outside greeting drivers and students with HUGE "WELCOME BACK" banners, and it is just a lot of fun to see at 6:30 in the morning!!! |
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HollisterBus
Senior Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2005 : 05:53:33 AM
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| seems like everyone is on the same page here. I have a chance to start something new in the trasportation Dept..Seems to me alot of you have done alot of this stuff before so who pays for all of this?. Do you raise the money or ask for a lump sum of money at budget time?. Any idea's ???? |
Tony HatField |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2005 : 09:19:01 AM
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| Our supervisors (4) pay for it themselves, but on driver appreciation weeks, or days the school helps pay for some of it, like the poinsettas (spelling?) and other larger items, like the PTA will pay for the coffee and bagels, that kind of stuff, but cards and posters, and smaller gifts, the supers pay for, they are just very nice! |
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bustroy
Senior Member
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2005 : 2:27:11 PM
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Your District should help with most of it as long as the items are earned. Like coats,sweaters that sort of thing. If they want happy drivers that stay. Then they would help. Just share your ideas with them.Or you could call your schools and see if they would help with some sort of donations. After all we drive for the schools right!!!. |
Driver Trainer |
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722
Senior Member
United States
129 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2005 : 5:09:39 PM
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Great ideals already posted,here is a few more...
Pay...
Train...
Retain...
Things that I have found helpful is:
Pay - Keep your hourly rate as high as you can get approved, keeping an eye on the districts around you.
Train - Train well and take the extra time with the trainee's. Do not manufacter drivers, teach drivers.
Retain - Do the little things, Always be thankful, SMILE  , Always invite the driver/attendant to have a seat, turn off you computer screen and focus on thier convestation. Buy well equipped buses not low bid or cheaply built brands (the driver spends alot of time in there) Know special things about your driver, know thier children's names, pets, birthday and special events. Stand behind your driver and support them even when you have to discipline. Promote the drivers/attendants to the schools and the public. Put buses and staff in parades and fairs. Finally, R-E-S-P-E-C-T it will do wonders. |
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lvbuscrazy
Senior Member
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2005 : 6:59:05 PM
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| That's the best thing I've heard all day 722. |
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Lionel
New Member
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2005 : 08:47:00 AM
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Pay is usually good everywhere as it relates to per hour wage, the issue is time. Keeping drivers is one thing keeping subs is a whole other issue. For our drivers we offer a attendance incentive (1 personal day for each trimester and 4 personal days for the entire school year). Keeping drivers is a difficult for everyone. The competition offers the same benefits plus a full 8 hour day. Creating a family atmosphere will help establish loyalty too. |
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coolbusdriver
Top Member
Canada
1509 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2005 : 2:17:16 PM
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quote:
How do you hire healthy drivers?
do your drivers not have to pass a physical first?
Let employees know they are valued. When they are off long term because of serious illness or surgery, send them a card, maybe flowers or at least a few phone calls to see how they are doing. I was off for 8 weeks because of major surgery and never heard a peep out of any one, no card, nothing. I can tell you, I seriously wondered just how much I really mattered there. If I had not liked working with the kids so much I would have quit. |
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Driver Incentives !
