Comments on: Two Injured In School Bus Crash; 34 On Bus, Bus Driver Charged

By: christy

christy — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 03:41:58 +0000

Alot of our bus drivers drive extremely too fast…

By: driver

driver — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:26:26 +0000

I see a lot of good people who are bus drivers on there cell phones too many times. Even with your ear piece on if your engaged in conversation your not focused at the job in hand. Just saying. Not that this is what happened I’ve never seen stephanie on her phone but I have seen others. Stephanie keep your chin up this will pass you have done a great job most do not understand what it is like. But we choose to drive and sometimes things happen just be thankful no serious injuries occurred. And to the comments about seat belts good luck getting most of these stubborn teenagers to keep them on and still get them home on time so parents aren’t complaining. Sure we can do seat belt checks every 5 miles but imagine what time your kid would get home you wouldn’t be happy about that either no win for the driver can’t please all parents and supervisors.

By: Clay Boggess

Clay Boggess — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:09:27 +0000

As a former school bus driver I know what it is like to have to maintain control and continually monitor large groups of kids who were wound up anyway because it was the end of the school day. I was one of the lucky ones who was never involved in an accident with students on board. It can happen to anyone though. I feel for this bus driver.

By: North end driver.

North end driver. — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:51:10 +0000

I`m betting some of the people who put down bus drivers really have no idea what this job really involves.
Its sad that a parent who trusts us to provide the free ride for their child, cant or wont support the same bus driver(s) theyre so quick to condemn.
I`ve been in a position more than a few times where a parent has had to be called in regards to their childs behavior, and more often than not after listening to the parents denial/comments I can understand why their little darlin isnt such a darlin on the bus. Nothing like being told how to do my job by someone that has NO CLUE what my job involves! I must add that not all parents are like this.
And to the parents out there that allow their kids to drive a car to school everyday, you`d be shocked to know how many times I get passed by these drivers exceeding the speed limits in no passing zones ( no they are not hurrying because theyre late)…
as for the comment someone made about not doing anything to people who run a bus when the stop lights are out, its not easy to jot down tag numbers when they do that, especially when we`re watching to be sure the child we are stopping for gets on the bus safe
I know many of the drivers have had problems with cars passing at a high rate of speed in no passing zones only to have them pass us and brake suddenly to make a turn and often not even using their turn signals.
Then when all the stuff outside the bus is going on, we have passengers (not everyone) doing distractive and disruptive things that can at the very least be very starteling to a driver.
The idea of an assistant on a bus isnt a bad idea but probably wont happen because of the cost, and we all know tax payers would gripe about another 1cent increase even if it meant a safer environment for bus riders, so for the time being, maybe parents need to get tougher with their kids for their disruptive behaviors that can and does contribute to accidents.
And Stephanie, hang in there, ignore the negative (and ignorance) of some that have no clue…

By: Mickey Powell

Mickey Powell — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:48:26 +0000

Mrs. Reid,
Well Well Well said.
Thank you

Mickey Powell

By: Tammy Reid

Tammy Reid — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 02:26:45 +0000

I am the mother of the child that was taken to the hospital….first of all I would like to say that Shila is ok…..second of all….this is address to Stephanie….we are not mad at you….dont be upset….she is ok….third of all….NOBODY from the school has called to check on her….the only person we have heard from is Stephanie….she is a caring person…..my daughter will be back on the bus…and I hope Stephanie is driving….

Everybody has their own opinion….and thats your right…..like I have mine and mine will be address to the right person…..and it doesnt have anything to do with Stephanie…..

By the way….I am a parent that make her kids wear their seat belts….and they will respect adults……..you can ask their teachers

By: hard job

hard job — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 02:24:47 +0000

use you cell phone and catch this bus driver send to school board. Sounds like the one that waits to he gets to the stop to put out light likes to scare the drives of other autos. Your cell phones has a recorder tape him and how close he is to the stop before he puts out the sign. I would not be a bus driver they are under paid and over worked. The person that said the buses needs 2 adults on each bus is true. I believe one of the buses that comes from Century has a aide on it. Video has been placed on many buses. All buses needs this.. Parents would be shocked to see what their children are saying and doing while on the bus. Driving a school bus has got to be one of the hardest jobs that there is.

By: puddin

puddin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:44:25 +0000

Poor Stephanie! I know she’s feeling just terrible. I drive a bus too. For those of you who are complaining I challenge you to try it. It has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world. (I know about hard jobs, I used to work on the flight deck of a Carrier). Kids throw things, yell at you and each other. HIt and refuse to sit in thier seats. Think the school can fix the problem, nope, no way. The parents are un-involved or just plain don’t care.

Think you can handle all this. Try this.

Put 60+ children behind you. Insist that they wear thier seatbelts. Pull over and make them put them back on again. Take off. Pull over and stop the nose bleed from little one #1 that got punched in the nose by little one #2. Take off again. Drop off the first student while watching that “ONLY” the child that is supposed to get off there actually gets off. Make sure that the guy in the car coming at you is watching the road while he’s chatting on his cell phone. Get the kids to put thier seat belts back on again. Take off. Answer a call from dispatch asking where someones little one is at. Tell the kids to put thier seat belts back on. Remind them to not hit each other and not to scream unless thier life is in danger. Take off again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Add to that, you are driving a HUGE vehicle that takes time to stop. The cars fly around you because you are wasting thier time by stopping to let kids off. Drivers that are so busy putting on make-up/shaving/texting/looking for a lighter to light thier cigarrette, etc etc etc, that they don’t even slow down at your stop arm. The kids are screaming and jumping around. The parents yell at you because thier sweet little angels would never, ever, do whatever. That’s just a small taste of what goes on every single day. 3 schools a day, twice a day, mon.- fri.

And those seat belts that parents love so much? Terrible idea. They won’t wear them. They may start out that way, but as soon as you pull off, off they come. They are used for weapons, and are great for tying each other up!

Why do we do this, over and over again? Every day, 6 times a day? For recognition? Nope, we don’t get any. For the thanks we get from the parents? The respect from the kids? Nope, none of that either. Must be for the money then right? No way, most single drivers have a second job to make ends meet. So why do we get on the bus each and every day? Rain or shine, Freezing cold or hot enough to melt pavement. Through abusive parents, screaming kids, and ignorant drivers. We do it because we love these kids like our own. We do it for the one kid who tells you “thanks”. We do it because there is nothing else we’d rather be doing. We are well educated, mostly retired from other jobs. Many of us have military backgrounds.

Please don’t judge us until you have done what we do. Try it. We need good drivers. Betcha don’t last a week.

Stephanie, it could have happened to any one of us. Don’t beat yourself up gal.

Oh, and the best idea I’ve seen on here. Put an asst. on every single bus. That way the driver can “DRIVE” the bus and the asst. can keep the little darlings from killing each other.

By: just gotta love em

just gotta love em — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:42:12 +0000

Stephanie, glad you are alright and I pray that the students that were injured are doing alright. Keep your head up and know that you have a lot of support.

As a bus driver, I would like to say that we get on the roads everyday in all kinds of conditions and we treasure our precious cargo. We wouldn’t dare do anything to hurt one, accidents happen and that’s just what it was, an accident. Instead of having 2 adults on the bus like some suggest, they are now giving us longer buses to carry more students. Instead of a 65 passenger bus many of us are driving 77 passenger buses with no intercom. I have 67 elementary students on my 77 passenger bus that I drive by myself with no other adults on board. It takes me 40 minutes to get them all home safely. Yes, I have seatbelts and before we leave the school I make sure they are all buckled but as soon as I turn my back to walk back to the front they are already taking them off! It’s not an easy job and the pay is definitely not worth it. Men and women that pick up our garbage get paid more than we get for transporting children!!! But at the end of the day I get satisfaction in knowing that I may have said or done something to make a positive difference in a child’s life. Check in to our working conditions before slamming school bus drivers, maybe it will open your eyes. Parents, help us out, please talk to your child about school bus safety!

By: Mickey Powell

Mickey Powell — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:04:05 +0000

A drug screen on both the bus driver and the pickup driver should have been done. EVERYTIME And, they pay for it. Not the tax payer.

Mickey Powell
Flomaton