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 are you required to be a sub bus driver and how d
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bus a groove
Senior Member

70 Posts

Posted - 03/06/2013 :  1:07:33 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In our District it is a requirement to obtain your school bus driving certificate and be a Substitute bus driver. Are you required to do the same? Also how do you feel about it?

Edited by - bus a groove on 03/06/2013 2:50:42 PM

Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 03/06/2013 :  2:58:04 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
They do down here at the corporations. Downright dirty IMO. Make the darn suits drive the bus!

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 03/06/2013 :  5:28:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm in a small district and it is required. It only makes sense really. Although, like wolf, I think the administration should have a license too. Our super used to drive a bus years ago so he knows what it's like.

Bryan
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buster133
Top Member

USA
512 Posts

Posted - 03/06/2013 :  8:17:33 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I work for a contractor and everyone here; garage staff, office personnel and management, including the owner are fully licensed. When the spring sports start up there will be afternoons where every bus in the fleet is rolling and everyone is behind the wheel. To me it makes sense, you just never know when a driver might call out sick or a coach will call looking for the bus(es)that were never ordered by the A/D so having extra coverage never hurts. I don't mind having to drive as long as the route sheet in correct or the kids are willing to help with directions (which is always fun!).

[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/buster133/media/6f2e0703-1970-4ac9-bb1f-b6b9d7c12297_zps1741e113.jpg.html][/URL]
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Trailboss
Senior Member

United States
196 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  03:39:03 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We required everyone in our Transportation Dept. to have licenes mechanics and secretary. The drivers complained about the coaches takeing money from them when the coaches drive but like buster113 said come spring time you have to have them because you don't have enough drivers.
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bus a groove
Senior Member

70 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  07:30:01 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Me personally I am a mechanic and not a bus driver. When we have mechanics drive our work in the shop falls behind. We have myself and 2 other mechanics and we all don't like to drive. I don't think you should force a person to drive that doesn't want to. Since we don't have to drive that often I know I am not as safe as a professional bus driver to transport students. We have 25 routes and currently only have 1 Dedicated sub bus driver. I know it is hard to find subs but I don't think that responsibility should fall on us and it should be the transportation office to find more subs. That being said our director does do a good job of us being the last to drive.
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Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  08:08:08 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Rural Iowa, 550 total enrollment, 220 square miles. I am the Transportation Director/mechanic/substitute bus driver.

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback
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Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  08:31:12 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bus a groove

Me personally I am a mechanic and not a bus driver. When we have mechanics drive our work in the shop falls behind. We have myself and 2 other mechanics and we all don't like to drive. I don't think you should force a person to drive that doesn't want to. Since we don't have to drive that often I know I am not as safe as a professional bus driver to transport students. We have 25 routes and currently only have 1 Dedicated sub bus driver. I know it is hard to find subs but I don't think that responsibility should fall on us and it should be the transportation office to find more subs. That being said our director does do a good job of us being the last to drive.

BRAVO!

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  09:30:29 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bus a groove

Me personally I am a mechanic and not a bus driver. When we have mechanics drive our work in the shop falls behind. We have myself and 2 other mechanics and we all don't like to drive. I don't think you should force a person to drive that doesn't want to. Since we don't have to drive that often I know I am not as safe as a professional bus driver to transport students. We have 25 routes and currently only have 1 Dedicated sub bus driver. I know it is hard to find subs but I don't think that responsibility should fall on us and it should be the transportation office to find more subs. That being said our director does do a good job of us being the last to drive.


You really seem like a nice guy and all so don't think I'm busting your chops here. I agree you are probably not as safe as a regular bus driver, especially with the attitude that you don't want/ like to drive. But I don't accept any other attitude than "lets get it done". I believe the transportation department is a team effort. If I have someone who doesn't want to go the extra mile or to put it in other terms a "can do" attitude. I am going suggest another line of work. Just my view. I'm sure others probably don't see it that way.

Bryan
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baptistbusman1
Senior Member

USA
175 Posts

Posted - 03/07/2013 :  5:11:24 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have to drive and I love to do it, and I am pretty good at it; I would take a full time route if I could. I get paid extra for route driving.

Lets stop being the safety police here. I would much rather have myself or the other mechanic on the road than the 70 and 80 year old people that have regular routes that do absolutely nothing in the way of dicipline. Or the people who constantly run into things...and don't even realize it. Until you get rid of safety hazards like that, don't play safety super hero and complain about a mechanic driving who can excel at it...amen

I was formally Baptistbusman. However, I lost my password, and had not updated my email address.

Here is a link to my old posts. http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum/search.asp?mode=DoIt&MEMBER_ID=1846
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slippert
Top Member

USA
630 Posts

Posted - 03/08/2013 :  12:10:06 PM  Show Profile  Click to see slippert's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
At our facility we all must have/keep CDL and necessary endorsements. I am told if short drivers the supervisor and office help are first in line, leaving mechanic(s) the last to be called on to drive..
Anyone that works here knows it could/can happen just part of the job we were hired for...
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sob
Senior Member

USA
91 Posts

Posted - 03/08/2013 :  2:08:53 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Also being from Iowa, I'm living in parallel worlds with Fastback. You wear a lot of hats in the rural setting. I will admit I'd rather take a beating than drive, but there ain't enough warm bodies to fill the seats. Heck, next week I'm already scheduled to drive three times.

It dang sure screws up your day and at the end of the day I feel like I've done nothing.

Brian
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baptistbusman1
Senior Member

USA
175 Posts

Posted - 03/09/2013 :  06:26:12 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
no, not at all directed towards you...just a rant about a subject I hear all the time from people who applied for a job and was hired knowing the requirement was that the position also included sub-driving.

I was formally Baptistbusman. However, I lost my password, and had not updated my email address.

Here is a link to my old posts. http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum/search.asp?mode=DoIt&MEMBER_ID=1846
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bus a groove
Senior Member

70 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2013 :  07:43:08 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by baptistbusman1

no, not at all directed towards you...just a rant about a subject I hear all the time from people who applied for a job and was hired knowing the requirement was that the position also included sub-driving.


When I was hired it stated in the job description I would have to get my B license witch i assumed was for testing driving and bring a replacement bus when needed. It was about 2 months in when i was told that the license was to be a sub bus driver
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Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2013 :  07:49:31 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have no passenger endorsement and don't plan getting one. I do have air brake as well, all you need to fix medium duty. If I got my salary plus extra pay each time I drove a route, I would think about upgrading. I do enough volunteer work as it is.

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2013 :  10:01:49 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
vfr700f2, I was not saying you should force someone to drive. What I am saying is that when I was hired it was made clear I would be substituting when needed. Also in the interview process they made it clear, unlike the mechanic that was retiring, I would be changing all the tires in the district. And lastly I was informed of the last line in the job description "any other assigned duties". Over the last 20 years I have taken that last line to heart. The only job I have not done in the district (solely because I am not qualified) is teacher, principal, & superintendent. lol It is my opinion that more people need to make up their mind that they are part of the solution not part of the problem. Does that sound like I'm hard to get along with? I'm not really.

Bryan
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Tb4020
Senior Member

United States
82 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2013 :  03:31:14 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In this world of privatization and budget cuts you do what's asked of you or you might not be there anymore (within reason). I don't have to drive often but, when I do I do.
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sob
Senior Member

USA
91 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2013 :  04:12:07 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
@ bwest, just a thought. Have you ever had a hand in deciding to have school or not have school ? Then you have played the "Super". Have you ever to disciplined a child, then you have played "principal". If you have ever taught a child a life lesson then you have played "teacher". Just a thought.....No disrespect intended.
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2013 :  07:07:05 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sob

@ bwest, just a thought. Have you ever had a hand in deciding to have school or not have school ? Then you have played the "Super". Have you ever to disciplined a child, then you have played "principal". If you have ever taught a child a life lesson then you have played "teacher". Just a thought.....No disrespect intended.


True enough.

Bryan
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partsman_ba
Administrator

United States
377 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2013 :  5:32:09 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
All mechanics are fully licensed. In fact, at the beginning of this school year, one of the mechanics and myself were assigned routes due to driver shortage. We drove until mid-November, along with trying to do our regular jobs. Not a good combination. This past week I've been driving due to illness shortage, but it's not so bad since the route I'm driving has my nieces aboard!

"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional."
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second.flood
Top Member

USA
640 Posts

Posted - 03/15/2013 :  12:55:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I don't drive. I "did" drive for 7 years.

About 10 years ago I told the boss if I don't bring enough to the table solely as a mechanic, I'll leave.

I'm still here :)
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