I started driving school bus in 1980, because with no childcare and two children, it fit right into my schedule.

I've driven for several schoolbus companies here in Wisconsin. They all, for the most part trained me in the same manner. The basic rules were the same at all companies:
1. Never leave a child unattended on the bus
2. Before exiting the bus do a walk-thru
a. looking for children that may be asleep
b. checking for things (books etc.) that may have been left by a student.
c. to check condition of the interior of the bus.

If you follow these simple steps, leaving a child asleep on the bus won't happen.

Companies that I've driven for are: Safeline,
Lakeside, and Laidlaw.

Laidlaw went as far as having a devise installed in the rear of the bus that had to be pressed before the bus would turn off...maybe all busses...and daycare vans transporting children...should be equipped with this device...would solve this problem.

MORE TO COME...

School bus drivers ("S" endorsement on driver license)

Requirements to become a school bus driver:

Pass a criminal background check at original issuance of a school bus "S" endorsement, at each renewal and every four years (at the mid-point of the term of the license).

Have no felony convictions that disqualify you from holding a school bus endorsement. School bus disqualifications .

Complete a self-certification form declaring you are conviction free and provide information to the state if you have not been a Wisconsin resident in the previous two years.

This pre-screening is to be used by both the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and school bus companies who employ the drivers.

Submit to fingerprinting for a criminal background check if you have lived out-of-state in the previous two years. (The cost for this requirement is the driver's responsibility.)

Notify your employer in writing within ten days of any accident or conviction that makes you ineligible to hold the school bus endorsement, or of any license withdrawal from Wisconsin or any other state.
Fee information for an original license, a renewal license or for adding an "S" endorsement (change of authority).

Disqualifications

School bus and hazmat licensing requirements

School bus or alternative vehicle - BDS105

Wisconsin Commercial Driver's Manual Volume 2 (1.4 MB - This file may require a lengthy download time) covers information about hazardous materials and school buses.

Questions:
Bureau of Driver Services, driverrecords.dmv@dot.state.wi.us

mailto:driverrecords.dmv@dot.state.wi.us?subject=Include your driver license number and date of birth

DIGGING DEEPER>>>more to come

In June 2003, the Board of Regents approved an amendment to Section 156.3 of the Commissioner's
Regulations regarding the qualifications of school bus drivers, monitors and attendants.

This revised rule also establishes school bus training and instruction requirements for attendants serving students with disabilities.

The amendment, effective July 10, 2003, was necessary to comply with Chapters 472, 529 and 600 of the Laws of 2002. The purpose of this Bulletin is to provide information on the new requirements and to provide local leaders and members guidance in regard to these changes. Attached is a summary of the amended regulations.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHANGES

All school bus drivers, monitors and attendants are required to receive pre-service and refresher training.

Newly hired attendants are required to complete a course of specialized training within the first year of employment and obtain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation where such certification is required as part of the individualized education program of a student with a disability.

School districts are authorized to use nurse practitioners to administer the medical exam required for school bus drivers and permits the physical performance test to be administered to groups of school bus drivers once every 24 months rather than 30 days before or after an individual's road test.

School districts may also conduct the first bus drill within the first seven days of school rather than the first week of school and are given more time in which to conduct the two annual refresher sessions for school bus drivers.

Summary of Amendments to Commissioner's Regulations Regarding School Bus Drivers, Monitors and Attendants

Definitions - Section 156.3(a) of the Regulations

School Bus Driver -School Bus - A new definition of school bus was added and means every vehicle owned or contracted for by
a public school district or BOCES operated for the transportation of students, children of students, teachers and other persons acting in a school capacity to and from school or school activities.

School Bus Monitor - A new definition of school bus monitor was added and means any person whose duty is to assist students to safely embark and disembark from a school bus which is owned, leased or contracted by a school district or BOCES, and for the purpose of assisting the school bus driver with maintaining proper student behavior on such bus.

School Bus Attendant - A new definition of school bus attendant was added and means any person who is employed to serve students with disabilities on a school bus.

School Bus Driver and Instructor Qualifications - Section 156.3(b) of the Regulations

A nurse practitioner is now authorized to perform an annual physical examination. The prior Regulations limited this function to a physician. The nurse practitioner and physician are authorized to require the school bus driver to undergo any diagnostic tests that are necessary to determine whether the driver has the physical and mental ability to safely operate a school bus. The interval between physical examinations must not exceed a 13-month period (versus 12-month period previously).

In the case of a driver who is absent from service for 60 or more consecutive days from his or her scheduled work duties, the interval between physical performance tests must not exceed 24 months.

A school district or BOCES is now authorized, upon a waiver approved by the Commissioner, to permit
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Certified 19A Examiners employed by that carrier to administer the physical performance test to school bus drivers. A certified school bus driver instructor is not required to be physically present during the administration of the test, as long as such test is conducted under the general supervision of a certified school bus instructor. The certified school bus driver instructor is required to instruct the DMV examiner in the proper administration of the physical performance test and must review and approve the test results of all physical performance tests administered by the examiner.

Pre Service, Safety Training, and Refresher Training for School Bus Drivers - Section 153.3(b)(5) of the Regulations

Each school bus driver must receive a minimum of two hours of refresher instruction at least two times a year conducted between July 1st and the first day of school and between December 1st and March 1st of each school year. All training shall be provided by, or under the direct supervision of a school bus driver instructor (SBDI) certified by the Commissioner.

To qualify as a school bus driver instructor (SBDI) an individual must successfully complete a training and evaluation course taught by a certified master instructor. The course must be approved by the
Commissioner upon the recommendation of the Commissioner's School Bus Driver Instructor Advisory
Committee. Each person who applies for this course must be currently employed by a school district,
BOCES or private contractor who is currently providing pupil transportation services for a school district or BOCES. Each SBDI should also have completed the Basic Course of Instruction in school bus safety practices.

To maintain certification, the SBDI is required to attend the annual Professional Development Seminar
(PDS) approved by the Commissioner and taught by a certified master instructor. The PDS shall provide
refresher training in: presentation skills, lesson planning, school bus safety techniques, and requirements and statistics. The PDS must provide SBDIs with training materials for the upcoming school year safety training campaign, including information which must be conveyed to all school bus drivers in the next two driver refreshers.

Qualifications of Master Instructors - Section 156.3(b) ( 5) (vi) of the Regulations Master Instructors are authorized to conduct training programs for individuals to become certified school bus driver instructors (SBDIs) and work in the development of safety training curricula and delivery of the
annual Professional Development Seminar. To qualify as a master instructor, the individual must:

be a certified SBDI for at least five years;
have demonstrated the ability to teach others the concepts of the school bus safety training program;
hold a New York State teaching certificate or employment experience in a pupil transportation position in New York State; have satisfactorily completed a mentor training program or project; and
satisfy other requirements as prescribed by the Commissioner.

School Bus Monitor and Attendant Qualifications - Section 156.3(c) (2) and (3) of the Regulations

All bus monitors and attendants shall: be at least 19 years old; and have the physical and mental ability to satisfactorily perform his or her duties.

Each individual may be examined on order of the chief school administrator (CSA) by a physician within
two weeks prior to the beginning of service in each school year. The physician's written report must be
considered by the CSA in determining the fitness of the individual to carry out his or her functions. The
physician may require the individual to undergo any diagnostic tests necessary to determine the physical
and mental ability of the individual to perform his or her duties.

Each monitor or attendant must pass a physical performance test. Individuals employed before July 1, 2003 shall have until July 1, 2004 to take and pass a physical performance test administered by a SBDI (see exemption below).

Individuals hired after July 1, 2003 must take and pass such test before they may assume their duties. The physical performance test includes, but is not limited to, the following functions: climb and
descend bus steps, carry or drag students in a bus emergency evacuation and exit one self quickly from an emergency door.

School districts, BOCES or transportation contractors may apply to the Commissioner to permit DMV examiners to administer the physical performance test to monitors and attendants employed by the carrier.

A SBDI is not required to be present during the administration of the test provided the testing is conducted under the general supervision of an SBDI. The SBDI must review and approve the test results of the physical performance tests administered by the examiner.

A school bus monitor or attendant who fails any portion of the physical performance test shall be deemed unqualified to perform the duties of the position. The individual may request a re-examination, the cost of which will be borne by the employer, if the person passes it. If not, the cost is at the expense of the monitor/attendant.
Required Certifications - Section 156.3(c) (4) of the Regulations Effective December 4, 2003, Attendants employed before January 1, 2004 shall have until July 1, 2004 to obtain training and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) where such skills are required as part of the individualized education program (IEP) of a student with a disability. Those hired after January 1, 2004 must have such certificate prior to assuming their duties of such skill required as part of a student's IEP. [Conforms with the provisions of Vehicle and Traffic Law, as amended by Chapter 159 of the Laws of 2003 to change the effective dates and clarify training requirements.]

School districts may require monitors and attendants to maintain certification in first aid.

Pre-Service Safety Training and Refresher Training

Bus drivers provide transportation for millions of people, from commuters to school children to vacationers.

There are two major kinds of bus drivers.

**Transit and Intercity**

Bus drivers transport people within or across States, along routes run within a metropolitan area or county, or on chartered excursions and tours.

School bus drivers take children to and from schools and related events.

Bus drivers pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops, stations, or-in the case of students-at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations, all according to strict time schedules. Drivers must operate vehicles safely, sometimes in heavy traffic. They also cannot let light traffic put them ahead of schedule so that they miss passengers. Bus drivers drive a range of vehicles from 15-passenger buses to 60-foot articulated buses that can carry more than 100 passengers.

Local transit and intercity bus drivers stock up on tickets or transfers and prepare trip reports after
reporting to their assigned terminal or garage. In some transportation firms, maintenance departments are responsible for keeping vehicles in good condition; in others, drivers check their vehicle's tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, and water supply before beginning their routes. Drivers usually verify that the bus has safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and emergency reflectors.

During their shift, local transit and intercity bus drivers collect fares; answer questions about schedules, routes, and transfer points; and sometimes announce stops. Intercity bus drivers may make only a single one-way trip to a distant city or a round trip each day. They may stop at towns just a few miles apart or only at large cities hundreds of miles apart. Local transit bus drivers may make several trips each day over the same city and suburban streets, stopping as frequently as every few blocks.

Local transit bus drivers submit daily trip reports with a record of trips, significant schedule delays, and mechanical problems. Intercity drivers who drive across State or national boundaries must comply with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. These include completing vehicle inspection reports and recording distances traveled and the times they spend driving, performing other duties, and off duty.

Some intercity drivers operate motor coaches which transport passengers on chartered trips and sightseeing tours. Drivers routinely interact with customers and tour guides to make the trip as comfortable and informative as possible. They are directly responsible for keeping to strict schedules, adhering to the guidelines of the tour's itinerary, and ensuring the overall success of the trip. These drivers act as customer service representatives, tour guides, program directors, and safety guides. Trips frequently last more than a day. The driver may be away for more than a week if assigned to an extended tour.

School bus drivers usually drive the same routes each day, stopping to pick up pupils in the morning and returning them to their homes in the afternoon. Some school bus drivers also transport students and
teachers on field trips or to sporting events. In addition to driving, some school bus drivers work part time in the school system as janitors, mechanics, or classroom assistants when not driving buses.

Bus drivers must be alert to prevent accidents, especially in heavy traffic or in bad weather, and to avoid sudden stops or swerves that jar passengers. School bus drivers must exercise particular caution when children are getting on or off the bus. They must maintain order on their bus and enforce school safety standards by allowing only students to board. In addition, they must know and enforce the school system's rules regarding student conduct. As the number of students with physical or behavioral disabilities increases, school bus drivers must learn how to accommodate their special needs.

Some school bus drivers can take their bus home or park it in a more convenient area rather than reporting to an assigned terminal or garage. School bus drivers do not collect fares. Instead, they prepare weekly reports on the number of students, trips or "runs," work hours, miles, and fuel consumption. Their supervisors set time schedules and routes for the day or week.

Work environment. Driving a bus through heavy traffic while dealing with passengers is more stressful and fatiguing than physically strenuous. Many drivers enjoy the opportunity to work without direct supervision, with full responsibility for their bus and passengers. To improve working conditions and retain drivers, many bus lines provide ergonomically designed seats and controls for drivers. Many bus companies use
Global Positioning Systems to help dispatchers manage their bus fleets and help drivers navigate.

Work schedules vary considerably among various types of bus drivers. Intercity bus drivers may work nights, weekends, and holidays and often spend nights away from home, during which they stay in hotels at company expense. Senior drivers with regular routes have regular weekly work schedules, but others do not have regular schedules and must be prepared to report for work on short notice. They report for work only when called for a charter assignment or to drive extra buses on a regular route. Intercity bus travel and charter work tend to be seasonal. From May through August, drivers might work the maximum number of hours per week that regulations allow. During winter, junior drivers might work infrequently, except for busy holiday travel periods, and may be furloughed at times.

School bus drivers work only when schools are in session. Many work 20 hours a week or less, driving one or two routes in the morning and afternoon. Drivers taking field or athletic trips, or who also have midday kindergarten routes, may work more hours a week.

Regular local transit bus drivers usually have a 5-day workweek; Saturdays and Sundays are considered
regular workdays. Some drivers work evenings and after midnight. To accommodate commuters, many
work "split shifts"-for example, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with time off in between.

Intercity bus drivers operating tour and charter buses may work any day and all hours of the day, including weekends and holidays. Their hours are dictated by the destinations, schedules, and itineraries of chartered tours. Like all commercial drivers, their weekly hours must be consistent with the Department of Transportation's rules and regulations concerning hours of service. For example, drivers may drive for 10 hours and work for up to 15 hours-including driving and non-driving duties-before having 8 hours off duty. Drivers may only drive for 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. They are required to document their time in a logbook.

State and Federal governments establish bus driver qualifications and standards, which include a
commercial driver's license (CDL) with the proper endorsements. Many employers provide several weeks of training and help new employees obtain their CDL. Other employers prefer those with truck or other driving experience.

Education and training.

Many employers prefer high school graduates and require a written test of ability to follow complex bus schedules. Some intercity and public transit bus companies require several years of experience driving a bus or truck. Most intercity bus companies and local transit systems give driver trainees 2 to 8 weeks of classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. In the classroom, trainees learn Department of Transportation and company work rules, safety regulations, State and municipal driving regulations, and safe driving practices. They also learn to read schedules, determine fares, keep records, and deal courteously with passengers.

School bus drivers receive between 1 and 4 weeks of driving instruction and classroom training on State and local laws, regulations, and policies; safe driving practices; driver-pupil relations; first aid; emergency evacuation procedures; and the special needs of students who are disabled or emotionally troubled. School bus drivers also must be aware of the school system's rules for discipline and conduct for bus drivers and the students they transport. Many people who become school bus drivers have never driven any vehicle larger than an automobile.

During training, all bus drivers practice driving on set courses. They practice turns and zigzag maneuvers, backing up, and driving in narrow lanes. Then, they drive in light traffic and, eventually, on congested highways and city streets. They also make trial runs without passengers to improve their driving skills and learn the routes. Local transit trainees memorize and drive each of the runs operating out of their assigned garage. New drivers make regularly scheduled trips with passengers, accompanied by an experienced driver who gives helpful tips, answers questions, and evaluates the new driver's performance. Most bus drivers get brief supplemental training periodically to stay informed of safety issues and regulatory changes.

Licensure. Bus driver qualifications and standards are established by State and Federal regulations. All drivers must comply with Federal regulations and with any State regulations that exceed Federal
requirements. Federal regulations require drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles in excess of
26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or designed to carry 16 or more people, including the driver, to hold a commercial driver's license with the appropriate endorsements from the State in which they live. As with all commercial drivers, bus drivers who drive across State or national boundaries, as motor coach drivers frequently do, must comply with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, State regulations, and the regulations of other countries.

To qualify for a commercial driver's license, applicants must pass a knowledge test on rules and regulations and then demonstrate in a skills test that they can operate a bus safely. A national database records all driving violations incurred by people who hold commercial licenses, and a State may not issue a license to a person who has already had a license suspended or revoked in another State. To be issued a commercial license, a driver must surrender all other driver's licenses. All bus drivers must also have a passenger endorsement for their license, which requires passing a knowledge test and demonstrating the necessary skills in a vehicle of the same type as the one they would be driving on the job. Information on how to apply for a commercial driver's license and each type of endorsement can be obtained from State motor vehicle administrations.

Although many States allow those who are 18 years of age and older to drive buses within State borders, the U.S. Department of Transportation establishes minimum qualifications for bus drivers engaged in interstate commerce. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require drivers to be at least 21 years old and to pass a physical examination once every 2 years. The main physical requirements include good hearing, at least 20/40 vision with or without glasses or corrective lenses, and a 70-degree field of vision in each eye. Drivers cannot be colorblind. They must be able to hear a forced whisper in one ear at not less than 5 feet, with or without a hearing aide. Drivers must have normal blood pressure and normal use of their arms and legs. They may not use any controlled substances, unless prescribed by a licensed physician.

People with epilepsy or with diabetes controlled by insulin are not permitted to be interstate bus drivers.

Federal regulations also require employers to test their drivers for alcohol and drug use as a condition of employment and require periodic random tests of the drivers while they are on duty. In addition, a driver must not have been convicted of a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle or a crime involving drugs, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, refusing to submit to an alcohol test required by a State or its implied consent laws or regulations, leaving the scene of a crime, or causing a fatality through negligent operation of a commercial vehicle.

All drivers also must be able to read and speak English well enough to read road signs, prepare reports, and communicate with law enforcement officers and the public. In addition, drivers must take a written examination on the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

School bus drivers are required to obtain a commercial driver's license with a school bus endorsement from the State in which they live. To receive this endorsement, they must pass a written test and demonstrate necessary skills in a bus of the same type that they would be driving on their route. Both of these tests are specific to school buses and are in addition to the testing required to receive a commercial license and the passenger endorsement.

Other qualifications.

Many intercity and public transit bus companies prefer applicants who are at least 24 years old. Because bus drivers deal with passengers, they must be courteous. They need an even temperament and emotional stability because driving in heavy, fast-moving, or stop-and-go traffic and dealing with passengers can be stressful. Drivers must have strong customer service skills, including communication skills and the ability to coordinate and manage large groups of people. In some States, school bus drivers must pass a background investigation to uncover any criminal record or history of mental problems.

Advancement.

New intercity and local transit drivers usually are placed on an "extra" list to drive chartered runs, extra buses on regular runs, and special runs, such as those during morning and evening rush hours and to sports events. New drivers also substitute for regular drivers who are ill or on vacation. New drivers remain on the extra list and may work only part time, perhaps for several years, until they have enough seniority to get a regular run.

Senior drivers may bid for the runs that they prefer, such as those with more work hours, lighter traffic, weekends off, or-in the case of intercity bus drivers-higher earnings or fewer workdays per week.

Opportunities for promotion are generally limited. However, experienced drivers may become supervisors
or dispatchers-assigning buses to drivers, checking whether drivers are on schedule, rerouting buses to
avoid blocked streets or other problems, and dispatching extra vehicles and service crews to scenes of accidents and breakdowns. In transit agencies with rail systems, drivers may become train operators or station attendants. Some bus drivers become either instructors of new bus drivers or master-instructors, who train new instructors. Few drivers become managers. Promotion in publicly owned bus systems is often determined by competitive civil service examination. Some motor coach drivers purchase their own equipment and open their own business.

By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY

A shortage of bus drivers across the country is leaving children stranded at bus stops for hours and forcing school districts to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime to get kids to and from school.

Buses line up at a school in Annandale, Va., where the district is having trouble finding drivers.
H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

In some districts, such as Fulton, Mo., and Fairfax County, Va., school administrators are getting out from behind their desks to drive a route. (Related story: Busy driver's routine)

Those in charge of transporting kids say they don't blame parents for being upset about it. "If I was a parent, I'd be livid," said Linda Farbry, Fairfax County's transportation director

Other areas that have experienced problems include Scottsdale, Ariz.; Austin; northern Indiana; and Southern California.

"Some (schoolchildren) weren't getting picked up until an hour or two after school started," said Scott Johnson, spokesman at the Moreno Valley Unified School District, 65 miles east of Los Angeles.

Farbry's school district has tried numerous ways to bring in drivers, including upping starting pay 22%, from $12.90 per hour last year to $15.78 this year. Yet it is short 153 drivers.

Like other districts, this Northern Virginia county makes up for the shortfall by lengthening routes and manipulating school start times. Despite these efforts, "children (are) being picked up erratically, arriving at school and home late," she said.

Michael Martin, executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, said driver shortages are chronic and fluctuating, and are not confined to a particular geographical area.

One factor is that the pay does not compensate for the unusual hours. Martin says school bus drivers make an average of $13.50 an hour for jobs that are often part-time with no benefits and available only when school is in session.

"There are some places that can guarantee only four hours a day," said Kevin Orzechowski, director of development and safety for Laidlaw Education Services, which contracts with school districts to provide transportation. Of the 180 West Coast and Midwest locations he manages, there are driver shortages in about 15, particularly Southern California.

In an expensive community such as Fairfax County, a suburb of Washington, residents can't afford to live on a bus driver's salary, Farbry said.

As a result, she says, the district is attempting to recruit drivers from two populations: Retirees and parents of young children, who are allowed to bring their kids on the bus with them to avoid day-care costs.

She still has to sell a job that has become harder as children have become rowdier. Farbry and other transportation officials acknowledge that kids have become more difficult to control.

What's more, before applicants make it on the bus to play disciplinarian, they must pass criminal, medical and drug screenings. And they must have good driving records and references.

The requirements have become more stringent in recent years. In the 1990s, for instance, the federal government mandated random alcohol testing.

"Those who are interested in driving usually don't qualify," Farbry says.

E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
NORFOLK, Va. - The War on Terror has a new front line - the school bus line.

Financed by the Homeland Security Department, school bus drivers are being trained to watch for potential terrorists, people who may be casing their routes or plotting to blow up their buses.

Designers of the School Bus Watch program want to turn 600,000 bus drivers into an army of observers, like a counterterrorism watch on wheels. Already mindful of motorists with road rage and kids with weapons, bus drivers are now being warned of far more grisly scenarios.

Like this one: terrorists monitor a punctual driver for weeks, then hijack a bus and load the friendly yellow vehicle with enough explosives to take down a building.

An alert school bus driver could foil that plan, security expert Jeffrey Beatty recently told a class of 250 of drivers in Norfolk, Va. After all, bus drivers cover millions of miles of roads. They know the towns, the kids, the parents.

"The terrorist is not going to be able to do some of their casing and rehearsal activity without being detected by one of you," said Beatty, an anti-terrorism veteran of the CIA, FBI and the Army's Delta Force. The more people watching, he told the drivers, the safer the community will be.

With bus drivers becoming informal intelligence gatherers, the reach of homeland security is growing - not exactly what parents think of when their kids head to the bus stop.

The program demands strong oversight, said John Rollins, a former senior Homeland Security intelligence official now with Congressional Research Service.

Otherwise, he said, some bus drivers could think of themselves as undercover agents.

"Today it's bus drivers, tomorrow it could be postal officials, and the next day, it could be, 'Why don't we have this program in place for the people who deliver the newspaper to the door?"' Rollins said. "We could quickly get into a society where we're all spying on each other. It may be well intentioned, but there is a concern of going a bit too far."

Most school bus drivers do the job part-time, often to supplement other income. Many are retirees, mothers with young children, people between jobs, or school employees who also work as mechanics, janitors or classroom aides, according to government and industry officials.

The drivers are not being trained to be police. Their role is to report suspicious behavior to dispatchers, who alert the police and funnel tips to a national analysis center.

The new effort is part of Highway Watch, an industry safety program run by the American Trucking Associations and financed since 2003 with $50 million in homeland security money.

Leaders of Highway Watch worked with the school bus industry to tailor training for drivers, who are trusted each day to ferry 25 million children to and from school.

So far, tens of thousands of bus operators have been trained in places large and small, from Dallas and New York City to Kure Beach, N.C., Hopewell, Va., and Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

"As a bus driver, going down the same streets and going into the same neighborhoods every day, you know when there's a car that shouldn't be there," said Bob Pearson, who drives a school bus in Fairfax County, Va. "You have to realize that a school bus goes everywhere."

When he worked as a homicide detective, Pearson gathered tips from everyone on the roads - truck drivers, trash men, mail workers. So to him, recruiting bus drivers is logical.

Down in Norfolk, Shelita Hill, a driver for 23 years, acknowledged that she never thought of her school bus as a target of terrorism until she heard Beatty speak. Neither had many others in the class.

"He woke us up," Hill said.

Schools are the kind of target that terrorists want, Beatty said: a place where an attack could have huge symbolic impact and lead to mass casualties and spectacular images.

To underscore the point, he reminded drivers of Beslan, Russia, where terrorists stormed a school in 2004, killing 331 adults and children in a storm of gunfire and explosions.

In Virginia, bus drivers were taught how to identify and evaluate unusual activity. What drew your attention to this person in the first place? Is someone unfamiliar taking photos or drawing sketches of the area? Is the person asking a lot of questions about the bus route?

Then the drivers got tips on how to report what they saw: Jot down facts immediately. Back away from the situation to get a broader view. Are there accomplices?

Next came the security sweep. Drivers were shown how to inspect their buses, not just for routine maintenance flaws, but also for tampering by terrorists. A bus has lots of hiding places for a bomb - the glove box, luggage bins, the engine compartment, the first-aid kit.

Victor Manuele, a longtime school bus driver in New York and now in Norfolk, said he has been doing pre-trip safety inspections for years. Just not for explosives.

"I don't think I ever thought about, 'Oh, well, here, let me check my bus for a bomb,"' Manuele said after the training. "So, you know, all of that stuff is very helpful."

Kenneth Trump, a school safety consultant who tracks security trends, said being prepared is not being alarmist. "Denying and downplaying schools and school buses as potential terror targets here in the U.S.," Trump said, "would be foolish."

When drivers finish their training, they get confidential School Bus Watch ID numbers. They are reminded never to profile people as suspicious based on culture or ethnicity.

"They know what looks right and what looks wrong," Beatty said. "All we can do is ask them to use their judgment."

It's Time for a
United States
Postage Stamp
Honoring
School Bus Drivers!

Plans Underway for a Second Letter-Writing Campaign
to Occur Sometime in 2007!

During March 2006, this quote about postage stamps appeared in the Boston Globe newspaper:

"Suggestions about who and what should be honored vary wildly, from the obvious to the niche, to the just plain weird. As of late there's been a big letter-writing campaign to honor school bus drivers and public safety professionals," said Dave Failor, executive director of Stamp Services for the Postal Service.

That's quite an impressive quote as far as our school bus driver stamp is concerned! It means that the United States Postal Service is getting our letters. It means we are getting noticed!

Quite simply, Stamp Services is in charge of everything to do with United States postage stamps. The 15-member Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (to whom we have been sending our letters) makes recommendations on which stamps should be issued. The recommendations go to Dave Failor and to the Postmaster General. If approved, David Failor's group is in charge of getting the stamps designed, printed and ready for distribution.

The Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation (TAPT) began work in September 2006 on another letter-writing campaign which will occur sometime in 2007. They will bring up this subject at the National Association of Pupil Transportation (NAPT) convention in Kansas City, November 4-9, 2006.

"We want to have a second nationwide letter-writing campaign to let the Postal Service know that we really want this stamp," says a member of the TAPT School Bus Stamp Committee. "This is somewhat like an election. Each letter the Postal Service receives is like a vote. The more votes our stamp gets, the better the chances it will become a reality. We want to leave the NAPT convention with firm plans on when and how our second letter-writing campaign will occur so that we get tens of thousands more letters into the hands of the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee!"

=================================

Our Mission

We would like the United States Postal Service to issue a postage stamp to honor the work of our nation's 500,000 school bus drivers.

Background

On March 2, 2005 in Cumberland City, Tennessee, school bus driver Joyce Gregory was murdered by one of her bus riders.

Joyce, like thousands of other dedicated school bus drivers, was just doing her job. [Read more.]

The Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation is soliciting help from all pupil transportation employees and all state and national educational service organizations to request that the United States Postal Service (USPS) create and issue a postage stamp dedicated to the nation's school bus drivers.

Even though the stamp will not honor Joyce Gregory specifically, Joyce's death serves as the inspiration for our request to the USPS.

School bus drivers play a vital (and often unappreciated) role in our educational system and in the lives of our children.

Did You Know?

There are approximately 500,000 school bus drivers in the United States . . .

Who carry over 25,000,000 children twice each school day. (That's 55% of our K-12 students.)

School buses are the safest form of ground transportation. (In fact they are 40 times safer than the family car.)

And Yet ...

School bus drivers face innumerable challenges:

They have their backs to a bus full of children . . .

While trying to drive a 32,000 pound vehicle in various road and weather conditions . . .

Among other drivers on the road who may not be following rules.

While, unfortunately, often getting little support from students, parents and schools.

The Time is Now

A United States Postage Stamp is a unique way to recognize this country's school bus drivers. These are the men and women (who sometimes despite the odds) get our children to school in the safest form of ground transportation there is.

How Can I Help?

The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the United States Postal Service recommends which stamps will get printed. All you need to do is write a letter to the CSAC requesting they issue a stamp to honor school bus drivers. Ask your friends, relatives and colleagues to also write letters. The more letters CSAC receives, the better the chance we have to get our stamp! Please see our "Letters" page for details. Thank you!

http://www.schoolbusdriverstamp.com

This web site is sponsored by the Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation
http://www.tapt.org
LOOKING INTO WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE...?

Bus drivers held about 653,000 jobs in 2006. About 34 percent worked part time. Around 70 percent of all bus drivers were school bus drivers working primarily for school systems or for companies providing school bus services under contract. Most of the remainder worked for private and local government transit systems; some also worked for intercity and charter bus lines.

Average job growth and good employment opportunities are expected for bus drivers. Those seeking higher paying public transit bus driver positions may encounter competition. Individuals who have good driving records and who are willing to work a part-time or irregular schedule will probably have the best job prospects.

Employment change. Overall employment of bus drivers is expected to grow 10 percent between 2006 and 2016, about as fast as the average for all occupations. New drivers will be needed primarily to meet the transportation needs of the growing general population and school-aged population.

Employment growth for local transit and intercity bus drivers is projected to be 13 percent over the 2006-16 decade, about as fast as average for all occupations, primarily because of the increasing popularity of mass transit due to congestion and rising fuel prices and the demand for transit services in expanding metropolitan areas. Competition from other modes of transportation-airplane, train, or automobile-will
temper job growth among intercity bus drivers. Most growth in intercity bus transportation will occur in group charters to locations not served by other modes of transportation. Like automobiles, buses have a far greater number of possible destinations than airplanes or trains. Since they offer greater cost savings and convenience than automobiles do, buses usually are the most economical option for tour groups traveling to out-of-the-way destinations.

The number of school bus drivers is expected to increase 9 percent over the next 10 years, which is also about as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth is somewhat slower than in the past. School enrollments are projected to increase in 37 States, decrease in 12 States and stay constant in 1 State.

However, the net effect will still be a slowdown in the rate of school enrollment and, therefore, in
employment growth of school bus drivers. This, as well as the part-time nature of the occupation, will result in most openings for school bus drivers being to replace those who leave the occupation.

Job prospects. People seeking jobs as bus drivers likely will have good opportunities. Employment growth will create jobs, but most job openings are expected because of the need to replace workers who take jobs in other occupations or who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.

Individuals who have good driving records and who are willing to work a part-time or irregular schedule probably will have the best job prospects. School bus driving jobs, particularly in rapidly growing suburban areas, should be easiest to acquire because most are part-time positions with high turnover and less training required than for other bus-driving jobs. Those seeking higher paying public transit bus driver positions may encounter competition. Opportunities for intercity driving positions should be good, although employment prospects for motor coach drivers will depend on tourism, which fluctuates with the economy.

Full-time bus drivers rarely are laid off during recessions. In local transit and intercity bus systems, if the number of passengers decreases, employers might reduce the hours of part-time bus drivers or consolidate routes since fewer buses would be required. Seasonal layoffs are common. Many intercity bus drivers with little seniority, for example, are furloughed during the winter when regularly scheduled and charter business
declines. School bus drivers seldom work during the summer or school holidays.

Median hourly wage-and-salary earnings of transit and intercity bus drivers were $15.43 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $11.56 and $19.86 per hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.26, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $24.08 per hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of transit and intercity bus drivers were:

Interurban and rural bus transportation $17.16

Urban transit systems 14.07

School and employee bus transportation 12.35

Other transit and ground passenger transportation 11.51

Charter bus industry 11.50

Median hourly wage-and-salary earnings of school bus drivers were $11.93 in May 2006. The middle 50
percent earned between $8.99 and $14.82 per hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $6.58, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $17.61 per hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of school bus drivers were:

School and employee bus transportation $12.55

Elementary and secondary schools 11.59

Other transit and ground passenger transportation 11.11

Child day care services 9.50

Individual and family services 9.17

The benefits bus drivers receive from their employers vary greatly. Most intercity and local transit bus drivers receive paid health and life insurance, sick leave, vacation leave, and free bus rides on any of the regular routes of their line or system. School bus drivers receive sick leave, and many are covered by health and life insurance and pension plans. Because they generally do not work when school is not in session, they do not get vacation leave.

About 41 percent of bus drivers were members of or were covered by union contracts in 2006. Many
intercity and local transit bus drivers are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union. Some drivers belong to the United Transportation Union or to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

For the latest wage information:The above wage data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics
(OES) survey program, unless otherwise noted.

Other workers who drive vehicles on highways and city streets include taxi drivers and chauffeurs, and truck drivers and driver/sales workers.

Some local transit bus drivers enter rail transportation occupations by becoming subway or light rail operators.

For information on employment opportunities contact local transit systems, intercity bus lines, school systems, or the local offices of the State employment service.

General information on school bus driving is available from:

• National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, P.O. Box 5446, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. Internet: http://www.nasdpts.org


• National School Transportation Association, 113 South West St., 4th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.yellowbuses.org

General information on motor coach driving is available from:

• United Motorcoach Association, 113 South West St., 4th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.uma.org

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