Category: 
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning my qualifications, here’s my background: Not only have I been the parent of a bus rider for more than 10 years, but I also have a parent who was a transportation administrator for a major public school district in Colorado (thanks for the help, Dad). I also serve on my local Board of Education where I deal with matters of school bus safety on a regular basis.
Before getting on the bus
• Allow enough time to arrive at the bus stop several minutes ahead of the bus.
• Coach kids to walk along the sidewalk, and stay on the sidewalk at the bus stop. Yeah, I know it’s much more fun to play football in the street, but I’m here to tell you about safety, remember?
• Have a parent present at the bus stop to ensure safe behavior. Splitting up the bus-stop duties with other parents builds a sense of community.
Loading the bus
• Here’s where I inject some opinion: Big kids should wait for younger kids to get on the bus. I’m not talking about sixth-graders waiting for fifth-graders. All kindergarteners, first- and second-graders should get on the bus before the gangly giants ascend the stairs.
• Pushing is simply a rude and boorish behavior and shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone, even best friends.
• Kids should be seated quickly and face the front of the bus. This helps the driver know that everyone is ready to go, and helps the bus stay on time.
While on the bus
• Don’t block the aisles with backpacks, instruments or even legs; it’s important to keep the aisle clear in case there’s an accident.
• Keep all body parts inside the bus. Did I even have to say that?
• Speak quietly on the bus. It goes without saying that screaming and horseplay are distracting to the driver.
• Don’t trash the bus. Bus karma will come back to anyone who spits on the seat or leaves a bunch of trash for someone else to pick-up — guaranteed.
Getting off the bus
• Students should always walk about 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing the street.
• Never pick up something that has dropped near or under the bus without talking to the bus driver first.
The biggest rule of all
• Listen to the driver. The driver’s job is to get kids to school safely. They might be sweet or a big ol’ curmudgeon, but dissing the driver is the worst safety violation of all (even if you’re 15 and know everything).
Today my kids signed their school bus behavior contract, and it has three simple points:
• Ride the bus safely
• Follow bus rules
• Treat others with respect.
Hmm, that sums it up quite nicely, doesn’t it? Do you have other tips? Share them with our fabulous readers in the comments section below.
Comments
- What I did on my summer vacation
- Kayak still not listing American’s fares; and no, Fast Company, it doesn’t have Southwest either
- Brooklyn: Twitterati Tracking “Real World: Brooklyn” Cast
- Davenport: Possible Presidents Travel: Giving Iowa a Try
- The biggest new airline fees target surfers
- Weird JetBlue sale available only for one-direction travel and only on one specific day
- Philadelphia: Philly Music Venue: The Troc
- More Details Emerging on Kingfisher Airlines Expansion
- What’s really wrong with the US airline industry
- Embedded Travel Guide Cambodia: The Cardamom Mountains
Recently:
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
It’s back to school time where I live, and that means lots of kids getting transported to school in big yellow taxis, commonly referred to as school buses. As the most seasoned MotherProofer (no, I didn’t say old), I thought I’d share some of my tips for safe school bus behavior. Before you start questioning […]
