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hotwheels
Active Member
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - 12/15/2005 : 6:51:31 PM
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Ok this is one of those topics that makes you go ok why. If you had to come up with a no cost or very little cost way of checking for sleepers that would go along with walking your bus what would it be? I believe that walking your bus after you unload or as soon as it is safe to do so is the best way to make sure you don't leave anyone on the bus. Some of you may already know where this is coming frombut I will just leave it at that I guess.
Hotwheels
Its not just a job it is an adventure!! |
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kcooper74
Active Member
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2005 : 08:40:18 AM
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| Something that I do which helps me in many ways. When the school year starts I get to know the children, By the time the month of September is over, I know which kids fall asleep. Sometimes you can ask a parent at the stop if there little one sleeps during car rides. Then as each child gets on, I remember who is on. I also place them up to the front with the kids who also forget there stop. When I get to the stop, I then watch them get off, if someone didn't get off, I then will call out there name. I also mention to all other kids that as they are getting off the bus, to let me know if they see one of the kids sleeping. With these two things that I do, I don't have to worry about not letting them off at there stop and having to go back after routes, saming time and money for fuel. After the last kid gets off, I walk the bus checking seats and under the seats. Then I continue back to lot. For my fourth check, while at the lot, I check the bus again. I can be rest assured that all my children are off the bus and can sleep soundly knowing that all the kids were off that bus. They are very strict here in my town. Any child left on our busses are terminated. Hope this helps all of you during your rides. Anything to protect our precious cargo. |
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CountGirl
Top Member
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2005 : 4:50:49 PM
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Require all drivers to sweep their buses at the end of each run, and re-mount the brooms in a secure holder at the back of the bus. Then, they walk back to get the broom, sweep the bus (the bus looks good now  ) clean up, and then replace the broom at the back of the bus. Maybe?
Or you could create a system of "flags" - to avoid drivers trying to beat the system cut out enough tags (laminated paper) to hang from each window and then one large from the back door window.
To make the tags, laminate several LARGE pieces of brightly colored paper. Then, the tags should be six inch squares with a one inch wide 4-8 inches long tail connecting them, and a final six inch square. To use the system, a driver takes his supply of tags to each window, moves each window down a crack, slides one tag halfway out the window (one square in, one square out) - closes the window, and moves on to the next. Repeat process for all windows on both sides. It will take time, but it's a cheap way to ENSURE your drivers check their buses. And then between each run, and before runs, you can look out the window of your office and make sure each bus has their tags out windows and doors, or not on windows and doors if they are leaving. Any buses in violation means the driver is in direct violation which you then can process appropiately.
Countgirl |
Give me a yellow object. Yes. Right now. I need my yellow chocolate, for goodness sake! |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2005 : 5:34:06 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CountGirl
Require all drivers to sweep their buses at the end of each run, and re-mount the brooms in a secure holder at the back of the bus. Then, they walk back to get the broom, sweep the bus (the bus looks good now ) clean up, and then replace the broom at the back of the bus. Maybe?
Or you could create a system of "flags" - to avoid drivers trying to beat the system cut out enough tags (laminated paper) to hang from each window and then one large from the back door window.
To make the tags, laminate several LARGE pieces of brightly colored paper. Then, the tags should be six inch squares with a one inch wide 4-8 inches long tail connecting them, and a final six inch square. To use the system, a driver takes his supply of tags to each window, moves each window down a crack, slides one tag halfway out the window (one square in, one square out) - closes the window, and moves on to the next. Repeat process for all windows on both sides. It will take time, but it's a cheap way to ENSURE your drivers check their buses. And then between each run, and before runs, you can look out the window of your office and make sure each bus has their tags out windows and doors, or not on windows and doors if they are leaving. Any buses in violation means the driver is in direct violation which you then can process appropiately.
Countgirl
Oy! Two things will save me from this, a union that will not agree to it and an administration that is not willing to pay drivers for all the extra time this will require.
My bus, in the fall and spring, only needs to be swept out about once a week or so, in the winter a little more often because of the excess snow/slush being carried on. I would not agree with any requirement to sweep it after each run.
Opening and closing each window and putting a "flag" in the window would be an extreme pain in the rear, those windows are not always the easiest to open and close. Plus trying to make sure this "flag" stays in while you have your fingers on the latch putting the window back up. What a disaster!
A "properly trained school bus driver", trained in the importance of doing these checks is the key to significantly reducing the number of children left on school buses. A sign hung in the rear of the bus is enough when drivers are made aware of the importance of checking their bus and trained to do so after each run.
We actually do not have any signs or electronic devices on our buses. Drivers are trained in how important this check is and that the "it won't happen to me attitude" is not acceptable. A sign is posted on the transportation office that reads "have you checked for sleeping students?", another one is posted in the lock box that our keys are placed in. Occasionally articles are posted on the bulletin board regarding school bus safety and news articles on children left on buses. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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CPSBUS67
Senior Member
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2005 : 12:09:03 PM
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| very simple and bluebird already does it..................when you shut the bus off the reverse beeper or one like it goes off untill you push the button mounted on the back wall by the door |
GIVE ME A THOMAS AND NO ONE GETS HURT!!!!!!! |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2005 : 2:38:34 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CPSBUS67
very simple and bluebird already does it..................when you shut the bus off the reverse beeper or one like it goes off untill you push the button mounted on the back wall by the door
This is an option available on all buses, some districts spec it and some do not. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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Tmac0384
Advanced Member
USA
375 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2005 : 9:57:14 PM
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whatever happened to driver just doin like they're supposed to do...and CHECK THE BUS! it's not that hard! why does there need to be high tech buttons and all that or brooms mounted near the rear, and sweepin the bus being a requirement to check for anyone who could've stayed on the bus without you noticing. no one ever reminded me to do it...before i left the district i drove for and drove home to park... i always pulled over somewhere and WALKED THE BUS!
i find that drivers wont walk the bus even if they have some requirement to meet or anything. unless they had to shut off the annoying beeping system. it's part of your job, it's what you signed on to do... so DO IT!!! stop being lazy! |
sometimes older is way better than new.
some photos of mine: http://community.webshots.com/user/Bus213
(it's a work in progress... tons of photos to come!) |
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80-RE4
Top Member
USA
5700 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2005 : 11:22:31 PM
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Turn your bus off, pick your bottom up, walk and check each seat. Check it twice, three times, guess what, it takes less than 2 minutes. Bingo, it's done.
What makes a bus stop? The brakes? Do we forget to press on the brakes to stop the bus? If we do, we shouldn't be driving a bus.
How do we open our doors? Flipping a switch, or a handle, if we forget, we shouldn't be driving our bus.
How do we radio to base? By a two-way radio
how do we check our buses to make sure there are no kids, simple, Get up out of our seats and just check. Why do we need reminders? Does anyone remind us to step on the brake pedal to stop the bus? Just my two cents. Sorry if it seems blunt.
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Edited by - 80-RE4 on 12/19/2005 11:24:20 PM |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2005 : 12:27:38 PM
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I strongly feel that people who "forget" to check their bus for sleepers and leave children unattended, are lazy people without honor or integrity. I say this because I would bet a dollar to a donut that before leaving the yard, they have certified to both a post, and sleeper check of their vehicle. Our solution is simple...fire these violators upon discovery of their direliction and negligence.
No amount of training can quarantee that people of this caliber are going to get up off of their lazy fannies and do what is required. I don't for one minute see how, barring news that one of your family has been seriously injured, or worse, you could "forget" to do something that is almost as routine as shutting down the engine. I don't believe there is a company or district in the USA, or Canada, where a sleeper check is not required.
As far as all of these high tech items are concerned, I see where bozos of this ilk disable these devices thereby rendering them useless. At my location we are required to walk the bus down after each school stop where the bus is emptied and when we get back to base. Anytime we stop and leave the bus unattended, we are required to place a sign in the rear window that the bus has been checked for sleeping children. When we re-board the bus, we walk to the back of the bus, remove the sign and bring it to the front of the bus.
When we reach the yard, there is a checker at the entrance who actually boards the bus, takes the sign from the driver, and they themselves perform a sleeper check then they place the sign in the window. So this way, we have checks and balances against leaving a child behind on the bus, and were this to occur, (and so far it hasn't), both driver and checker would be fired before the light lenses cooled down.
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hotwheels
Active Member
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 12/24/2005 : 02:09:55 AM
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There are some good ideas here. Our location does require you to sweep your bus after your evening route more often if you need to. Heck you get paid 10 mins to do this so if you dont do this then you shouldn't get paid. That 10 mins adds up after awhile. I do like the idea of the broom in the back. you only have to worry about kids getting ahold of it then. I do think it is a very good idea.I do agree that if people would just do their job this would never be a problem. Thanks for the input.
Its not just a job but an adventure. |
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BusFan79
Active Member
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - 12/26/2005 : 7:21:55 PM
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| It isn't hard! When you get back to the compound, release your handle/switch on your front door but do not open it. This way, when you arrive at your bus in the morning, you can enter through the front. Then, go out the back door! This way you have to walk down the aisle and check either way. If a driver cannot exit through the rear door, he/she is not fit enough to drive the bus, im my opinion. I guarantee that, if your district required you to do this for a month, you wouldn't be too lazy or gripe about having to check for sleepers! |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 12/26/2005 : 8:52:08 PM
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| There is a difference between being able to exit out the back door in an emergency (or other required situation) and just plain out doing it every day. I'll be damned if you'd see me doing it every day and I'm in better shape that about 85% of the people my age. You do have a small risk in having people exit out this door instead of using steps and a handrail. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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BusFan79
Active Member
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2005 : 5:48:55 PM
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Who said you would have to jump? But you are right, not a good solution at all! I can't believe I said it! I have no good solutions but to just check the bus after every run. Like someone said, it onl takes a few seconds to check the bus. I think you northern drivers (snow areas) should be awarded a medal for driving in those conditions! I sure wouldn't want to drive a bus in snow and ice!
BusFan79
I Love Me Some Bus! |
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FrankP
Senior Member
53 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2012 : 2:40:33 PM
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| I can't even believe this discussion is happening! Get off your butt and walk your bus at the end of your run. It takes all of TEN SECONDS!!! Yet we have these inane child-check devices to compensate for lazy/incompetent drivers. Child checks are an important part of the job. If it's not part of your routine, MAKE IT SO! Proper training at the start would greatly reduce or even eliminate this issue. If you can't (or won't) do this, you shouldn't be driving, period. |
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coolbuskid
Senior Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 10:11:44 PM
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How about cleaning the bus and inspecting all seats? I think that buses should be checked over before leaving for the day, not in the morning. That way, when you get on the bus first thing in the morning, you only have to check for unusual things instead of going through the whole routine of checks in what is often the dark. During this extra time with the bus, anyone left on the bus would have a much higher chance of being noticed.
Now there are fancier options that weren't available in 2005, and one would make it nearly impossible to forget a passenger. I just have to figure out how to make it affordable.
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FrankP
Senior Member
53 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 7:14:30 PM
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Walk the bus at the end of the run...it costs NOTHING! :)
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ACL
Senior Member
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2020 : 06:25:04 AM
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Super interesting to read the 15 year old commentary on this issue. All of our buses have child safety reminder buttons in the back and I think it's simple and effective. The only glitch is that sometimes I walk back and post-trip but forget to push the button... but that's not a system failure because I have still post-tripped.
That said, I don't see how this situation is even possible:
https://www.wric.com/news/breaking-news/buckingham-county-schools-investigating-after-11-year-old-left-on-bus-overnight/
It implies that a 5th or 6th grader was on the bus for 24 hours. I suppose if it was special needs maybe this is possible but I'm having trouble imagining this for a regular run. My 11 year olds would be out the back door in no time if they thought they were being abandoned. And is it even possible to miss a kid if you have to walk to the back of the bus for the button? Maybe it is, maybe they don't have the button. I look UNDER every seat to look for lunchboxes and earrings; no way could I possibly miss an entire 11 year old. |
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Brook Peacock
Senior Member
116 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2020 : 02:13:14 AM
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| Does the kid found? Never heard any update from that news. |
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ACL
Senior Member
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2020 : 4:27:46 PM
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| The story makes even less sense now that I've read it again. The mother didn't call anyone until the next morning? Sounds like a kid that lives on his own. Maybe he climbed back onto the bus after it was parked, just to have somewhere to go. |
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Brook Peacock
Senior Member
116 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2020 : 02:01:31 AM
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| Makes sense. But it would be great to hear some update on this. |
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RBurt
New Member
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2020 : 09:57:54 AM
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| The problem is an unacceptably high number of veteran drivers are the ones who get complacent with doing a proper child search. |
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Topic |
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Sleepers
