Bus Driver Problems

Well If you want to put them in the better district, why don't you? I would if it means better education and away (hopefully) from the quacks.

Unless there are multiple problems with the school itself, I wouldn't pull kids out of a school because of a problem with the bus driver. Show your kids how to deal with a "difficult person" and help them work it out. They do need to do exactly what the driver tells them, whether her accusations are completely fair or not. The driver is the "boss" while they are on the bus and after they exit the bus. Your kids are old enough to talk through this with you and come up with solutions. They are also old enough to take responsibility for crossing the road together safely. Unless you feel they are in danger, I would help them work through this and not complain all the way to the superintendent.

For the last 3yrs our girls would come home almost daliy complaining about thier driver. I would here stories like "how mean he was, how much of a bad driver he was" After awhile you don't think they are "stories" anymore. I talked to some other parents in the area and thier kids had told hem the samethings. Well Last year alone this driver had rear ended car (ended up on the trunk of the car) w/2 children and a mother in it and the bus had children on it!!!! NO ONE got hurt THANK GOD!!! Every corner he turned either went on the curb or just on 2 wheels. Not to mention he YELLs so load I herd him from inside my house. The parents and I wrote a complaint about everything that went on the bus.Plus my daughter video'd him on several occations and THEY STILL LET HIM TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!!! Well when we found out they weren't going to do nothing about him. We organized a car pool and it worked out GREAT.And took our kids off the bus for the rest of the year.
Maybe this is something that could work out for you and you neighbors if they are having the same problems. We as parents felt we had to do anything to keep our children safe!

This year he is NO LONGER ON THE PAY ROLL and RETIRED!!!

And now they have as they would say, an "OK, SOMETIMES GRUMMPY LADY DRIVER but she A GOOD DRIVER!!" LOL!!!

Work out a plan, put it on paper and distribute to all parties involved. As others have said, this is your child's safety in questions. If you indeed feel that your children are confused by the bus driver, why don't you try to record what is happening for a few days (best without anyone seeing you) so that there is a visible record of what is happening. Perhaps the bus boss would be less surly if she *saw* your side instead of just hearing it.

So who is in charge of the busees at your school directly? That's who I would direct concerns to before going to the superintendent. How about your school board if needed? I know it happens after school but they are still part of school because if they are getting notes sent home then that means adminstration is aware of it. Good luck.

Well if you can make it happen then i think you should put them in another school district. These people are rude and dumb from the sounds of it!

Try riding the bus with your kids one day. Then you can see the bus driver in action. She may be on her best behavior that day but you will have access to talk to ALL of the kids who ride her bus.
Good luck!

First of all it is your children's safety that is needing to be first concerned. Crossing before signals could harm the children, so if they do it then let them sit in front. Explain to the driver how talking with her hands confuses the kids so she is aware of it. Remember Honey catches more flies then oil. You will get farther in the problems in life if you don't put people on the defense.

As far as the lady who was snotty on the phone, she should be reported. She is representing the school and to treat a parent who calls in with concerns such as she did is unacceptable!

As for leaving the school district, that is up to you but you may find that you have complaints with each because none of them are perfect. Make sure your complaints are real and nicely put looking for solutions and not accussing teachers, bus drivers and whoever else may be a problem. Tell the bus driver you want to work with her to solve this problem. Also remember there is bad bus drivers out there as one mom said. If you aren't comfortable with your children on that bus, take them off and drive them to school. The safety of your children is worth a little inconveince.

Can one of you drive your kids in? If not can you carpool with another parent. I don't have any other advice so good luck!!

The kids do need to listen and wait until signaled to cross, the driver should notify you in a timely fashion. Sitting up front is not the end of the world. I would make sure that the driver and boss know that issues should be addressed promptly. I would also make sure the principle knows of the issues.

Don't change schools.

I wouldn't pull them out unless the school itself stinks on rice.
Work out a plan with your kids, put it in writing and give it to the bus company, and every member of your school board.
Explain in writing your side of the issue and develop a plan that addresses
it.
The plan should be some kind of better signal system in this situation, since there is so much confusion.
For example, the kids can raise their right hand before they cross, and if the bus driver is OK with this, she will nod her head yes.
It is critical that your kids and the bus driver get this worked out considering the dangers involved with crossing the road.
Do not let the superintendent or bus company bully you around. This is too important to let go. If you get no satisfaction from the bus company and school board, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
That is a last resort, and be prepared for them to be upset if you take that route. But, your children's lives are at stake. I would stop at nothing to ensure this is resolved. I would also consider finding some way to be there when the bus comes, maybe for a week or something, just to let them know you're very concerned about the safety of your children and to personally see what's been going on.
Good luck!

Find out if other kids & parents are experiencing these kinds of problems. If so, notify the principal, district, bus company, etc. If not, perhaps your kids aren't following the rules which are made to keep them safe.

If the bus driver expects the kids to make eye contact before crossing, in addition to hand signals, then how difficult is that? I'd rather see that happen that have my kids ran over by traffic because they "thought" it was okay. Have them make eye contact, then wave at the bus driver, so she knows they've seen her, and everyone should be happy. I'd much rather have a bus driver who is too cautious, or too strict, than one that is not. My elementary school kids ride a school bus and I have concerns because I see the bus leave the bus stop while many of the older kids, who sit in the back, are still standing up.

I always have better luck talking directly to bus drivers, usually at the point my DS is being picked up. Let the bus driver know that you support the need for kids following the rules. Be sweet and supportive. Then add in that the kids have been expression confusion about how to tell when they are being signaled and when the driver is just talking with hand movements. I would also plan to be at the bus stop watching for a few weeks, if it is at all possible.

As far as leaving the district, the bus company and the distraict usually have little to do with each other where I live. So don't use that to reflect on the district. Usually the people at DS's school as frustrated (or more) as I am because they have little to no control over the buses and the drivers.

Please don't pull your kids out or do anything drastic. Use this as an opportunity to model mature problem-solving for your children.

First of all, it sounds like they are not being safe or well-behaved on the bus. Address that issue first, because it is an important one. Talk to your children about bus safety and polite behavior, act out being on the bus, and make it clear that you expect the best from them. Let them know there will be consequences for continued bus problems. Are they old enough to understand the riding the bus is a privilege, not a right?

Second, talk to the driver, and establish a polite relationship with him if you can. Have your kids apologize to him, in front of you, and request that he tell you if there are any further problems. (In our district, the kids get bus write-ups, and the parent is called with the first one. By the third, they get suspended from the bus for a few days.) Have him explain to your children, in front of you, how he will signal to them that it is safe to cross.

Safety, safety, safety -- this is the main issue. Put your feelings about how you feel you have been treated aside -- this isn't about you, it's about your children and keeping them safe, not to mention teaching them about responsible and polite behavior.