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no3foreternity
Senior Member
USA
67 Posts |
 Posted - 03/22/2004 : 08:31:12 AM
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| Do any of you have a problem with drivers not keeping their buses clean? What about making the interior into an art gallery? I don't mean a few pictures, I'm talking a GALLERY. The other day I was asked to check our buses and make sure they were ready for the state inspector. Almost every bus I checked in the yard was full of the driver's personal effects. Now I could understand some of the stuff being on for route purposes, but the drivers were informed all week long that during spring break we were having inspections. They were told to remove all their personal belongings and to at least sweep the bus and empty the trash. For the most part the buses were swept and about half of those emptied their trash, why not all I don't know!?! There were a few buses that were so full of trash that you could tell the driver hasn't swept it in weeks or months. I found numerous cleaners and "car care" products. I thought that they weren't allowed to be on the bus with students due to possible hazards. Apparently these drivers either don't know about the dangers of these cleaners or don't think a problem could happen on their bus. I would still be upset but not as much if they actually used it on the bus. Sorry about the venting but it just ticks me off that the majority of these drivers talk about other drivers and how "unprofessional they are in doing their jobs" and then you see how they do their own "job". |
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cschmille
Active Member
United States
45 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 10:00:28 AM
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| i know what you are talking about. I have a driver behine me that tells the boss about how my kids are behaving. I got behine him the other day and his kids also miss behave, but to hear him talk he doesn't have any problem. |
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80-RE4
Top Member
USA
5700 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 2:21:59 PM
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I'm a driver and I "try" to keep my bus clean. Do I have the cleaness bus in the terminal, NO! I have a big trash bucket so I empty it about once a week (lazy? a little!). I sweep about once or twice a week. I used to sweep more, but now just once or twice a week. I try to wash the interior once a week. As far as anything hung up inside, I just have the rules up, and my route list, along with the other standard items (exterior light monitor, camera box, first aid kit, etc..)
I would be upset too...If you had warned the drivers that the inspector was coming! They could have put those things back up when the buses pass. Maybe you all should be more strict!
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92FrdCarp#11
Top Member
USA
1455 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 2:53:19 PM
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| My bus driver sweeps her bus like every 2 weeks. Her husband sweeps his bus out before inspection. His bus is soooo dusty and dirty. One day we took his bus on a field trip and it was just so dusty and dirty. The drivers for another school in the county have their buses very clean. You won't find a speck of dust on 1 of those buses. |
Johnny
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coolbusdriver
Top Member
Canada
1509 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 4:12:42 PM
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Now that spring is here (I hope, there is more snow in the forcast again) I have to sweep the bus almost everyday. Wheelchairs can make more of a mess than a whole herd of feet! Most of the time the bus gets swept out at least once a week. I have a bag at the front for garbage. I have some things up around the bus, mostly just pictures in line with the season or holiday. A few bus related magnets at the front, nothing that will cover any signs or notices that must be there.
The only cleaner on my bus is a small bottle of hand sanitizer for me to use. We are not allowed to keep any cleaning supplies on the bus.
I think every driver should take pride in their bus and keep it clean and tidy. It only takes a short time every day to do this and well worth the effort. |
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littlebit
Advanced Member
431 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 7:57:58 PM
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I sweep my bus out atleast 3-4 times a week, depending on how much trash that the kids have tracked in. I always pick up the big items when I do my daily walk-thrus. I also try to wipe the dash once a week.Empty trash can when it gets full.
As for personal items, Yes I do have a few. A small clip on bear that hangs from my mic cord and a Guardian Angel clip that is on my fan. I also have a school bus that my son colored on his first day of kindergarten. I never remove any of my items from my bus for inspection. We are allowed to keep cleaning items on the bus as long as they aren't in aersol cans.
I have always gotten Zero Defects on my bus, with the exception of this year. This year the state quit giving them. |
 Bus 34 |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2004 : 7:58:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by no3foreternity
There were a few buses that were so full of trash that you could tell the driver hasn't swept it in weeks or months.
This is a great opportunity to let the state help hammer your sloppy drivers. For this reason, my thought would be to advise the TD to leave everything "as is." Let the inspectors have a field day - mentioning that your school district hides nothing and wanted the inspectors to see the offending buses and give advice on ways to correct this unprofessional behavior from some of the bus drivers. Then, let the TD have a field day writing up every driver's that the state inspection noted bus driver sloppiness. Write em' up, put it in their file and prep for their evals, then instruct the slobs to immediately and thoroughly clean their buses. (jk)
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Edited by - JK on 03/22/2004 7:59:51 PM |
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VAdriver
Senior Member
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2004 : 5:33:24 PM
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| At the beginning of the year I drove a route that was completely on paved roads and had a brand new IC RE that I was able to keep very clean. I now drive a route that is very rural, being about 90% on dirt roads. The bus is a 2000 IC RE and the former driver did not even try to keep it clean. When I picked it up the weekend before I started the new route I spent at least 6 hours just scraping gum and other stuff (most of which was unidentifiable) from the floor, under the seats and between the seats and the wall of the bus. I sweep at least twice a day and wipe down the inside of the bus at least once a week. I put a trash can in the back of the bus and hooked a trash bag on the back of the seat at the emergency exit. I drive middle, intermediate and high school kids all on the same bus and most of them are on the bus an hour or more, morning and afternoon. I'm making progress on getting them to actually use the trash cans and I am finding less and less trash every day. This morning I found out I will be getting a brand new Thomas transit bus in about 2 weeks. I told the kids this afternoon that I will not pick it up until we have had a solid week of no trash on the floor. I didn't even find a speck of dust on the floor this afternoon! |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2004 : 5:56:20 PM
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VAdriver:
Will your new Thomas Transit be a Front Engine or another Rear Engine unit? I'm just curious as I personally like Thomas units, the RE units made by them are really nice. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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no3foreternity
Senior Member
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2004 : 7:59:15 PM
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| We have a few routes that travel on non-asphalt paved roads here too. When I said that some drivers don't sweep their buses, I wasn't referring to "normal tracked in dirt". I was talking about TRASH, literally litter. These are the same drivers who say other people don't have enough "control" over their students. Yet it is quite obvious that they themselves don't have very good control if they can't get THEIR students to use the trash can provied on EACH AND EVERY BUS! Even as a standby, Irarely have to pick up any trash. The kids on all the routes know me from 2+ years of driving them off and on. The kids know that I am a Bus Driver and my vehicle says SCHOOL BUS, not MOLLY MAID(no offense). They know that I would rather take the time to have the school make them clean up a mess than for me to do it! But this post is about more than that. I am just getting tired of other drivers not doing their full job. And yes JK, they have planted their seeds of laziness, now it is time for them to reap the harvest from they steady un-toiling work. Unfortunately we don't have enough units to afford the inspector to down each of these buses.But beleive me, I have personally delt with this inspector, and he would be more than happy to down the buses for such reasons. |
I say "Good Morning" and call them by name,and in return I'm told the same,they go sit down and think of a rule to break,but are quickly subdued when warned of the actions I'll take. They've learned to follow the rules can be safe and can be fun........and after the high schoolers it will be the elementary run! |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2004 : 10:07:31 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by no3foreternity
... Unfortunately we don't have enough units to afford the inspector to down each of these buses. But believe me, I have personally dealt with this inspector, and he would be more than happy to down the buses for such reasons.
It is not necessary to down the buses, simply a negative report is sufficient be considered a serious complaint to bring an action against the sloppy drivers. Regardless, if red flagging the buses gets' the desired results, including a call to these sloppy drivers to get in and clean their buses before school begins or face a more serious disciplinary action including possible suspension, I would consider the effort reasonable and serious. As it is, management does not sound as serious about the restoring of those sloppy drivers as first thought. Without a negative report from the state, I would suppose the issue a non issue were myself in the same situation as the TD. (jk)
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Edited by - JK on 03/23/2004 10:12:18 PM |
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no3foreternity
Senior Member
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2004 : 07:25:43 AM
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| Our new terminal manager has already taken the steps to reprimand these drivers. I don't want these drivers to think that these steps are unjustified so a few other employees have checked the buses and reported to the manager. we are washing the buses this week and the stuff is being put into containers for the drivers to claim on their return from break. As far as not necessary to down the buses, as I said I know this inspector and he would be more than happy to down the buses. I mean this guy downed a bus 3 yrs ago because he noticed the first aid kit had been used and that it contain 98 bandaides not 100. Yes that sounds rediculous but thats how he is. I'm sure he won't be in too good of spirits when he comes to are terminal anyway. Our term. is the third one in 3 days that he has to do. Thats 250-300 buses. Our inspection is friday, too close to school's return from break to take that chance. Not to mention the chances of getting ahold of up to 65 drivers and attendants on their break and get them in to clean up. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the new manager handles this. |
I say "Good Morning" and call them by name,and in return I'm told the same,they go sit down and think of a rule to break,but are quickly subdued when warned of the actions I'll take. They've learned to follow the rules can be safe and can be fun........and after the high schoolers it will be the elementary run! |
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Salaskie
Advanced Member
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2004 : 9:20:09 PM
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Ah, how I can relate to this issue.
And yes 'JK', 'no3foreternity' is correct in saying this particular inspector would down a bus for being dirty. Especially if ANY chemical, ie. windex, armor-all, is found inside the bus. You tow the line with him.
It doesn't sound like it's a case of the 'drivers don't know the chemicals aren't allowed' but more of a moral problem.
You have a new terminal manager? Looks like this person will have an opportunity to build a positive, can-do attitude among the drivers.
Good luck with inspection, and make it a priority to enjoy the last few days of spring break. |
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80-RE4
Top Member
USA
5700 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2004 : 05:44:57 AM
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The inspectors at my lot don't care if we have cleaning materials in it. You could have a gallery of windex, aromoral, glade, anything, they don't look for that stuff. If the bus is not clean, they won't fail it, rather tell someone to clean it. If metal is showing in the seats, they will fail it.
Also: They don't care that the emergency alarm for the windows won't shut off. IE: Alot of times, if you open the rear windows of the Amtran RE models- once you get it open, as long as the alarm does sound, and the window opens, that is all they care about. A few times, rather several times, once they got the window open, they got it shut, but the alarm wouldn't shut off, it kept buzzing. The inspector spent a minute trying to make it shut off, then finally gave up and said Oh well, the buzzer did sound, just shut the bus off so it stops buzzing, he passes them.
I don't check my emergency window in the rear above the engine as part of a pre-trip every day, monthly yes, because usually once the alarm goes off, it won't shut off, same thing with my roof hatches.
If my bus were to be inspected, I would clean it and make it close to spotless. Those drivers should be embarresed and ashamed if you ask me. I've seen drivers at our sister terminal getting yelled at for having a messy bus by the inspector. Messy isn't the word -more like DISCUSTING pig stye. At least 2 full trashbags filled with trash, so nasty.
So, getting back to the subject, the bus won't fail if it's messy- they'd probably try to find something else to fail it on. |
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busdrver4jesus
Top Member
USA
802 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2004 : 10:08:37 AM
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We are susposed to sweep our buses after each trip here. Many drivers do not do that, and I admit, I don't after each trip. I do find my bus stays much cleaner, if I do sweep everyday, and doing it daily, takes only a minute or so. I do a rural area, with lots of dirt and gravel driveways, so it is almost a necessidy to sweep on a daily basis.
You never know here when inspections are coming, so we are susposed to be ready at all times. Also, you may be called to do a last minute field trip, so it is important your bus stays clean.
Here, if they inspect, and it is extremly trashy or dirty, the inspector brings the key to the supervisior, and you are called in to retrive the key. Then, it is to be swept before you can get your key. It works,  , know from expereince. YES, sad to admit! |
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YardBird
Advanced Member
USA
427 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2004 : 4:38:46 PM
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Here in CT when an inspector finds a dirty bus-it's a good chance that driver will get a 70-odd dollar ticket-dirty buses are illegal buses here.
We have a very muddy/dusty yard and it is very hard to keep them super clean-so the DMV inspector doesn't bust chops unless the bus is obviously trashed up. |
Sure! I'll pick your kid up closer to the house... Widen your front door!
"I LOOOOOVE MY UNION!" |
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bus cleanliness
