Well, Wednesday was our first day of school. There was the usual chaos, confusion, but at least my route was fairly close to normal ( I'm an open route driver so this isn't a route that is "mine", I'm just filling in ).

These kids are pretty good for the most part. The elementary kids are as usual a little loud, but they stay seated, and watch to be crossed. Middle/High School kids are greatish. They pretty much do what they are supposed to do, the only real thing is getting them to answer questions.

There were a few rough spots, and a few problems with the route sheet, and a few kids that didn't know where they lived/stop is/bus number/bus slot.

**** So side note****
Please, parents make sure your kids know 1) their address ( number and street name)
Know your real name not just mommy and daddy. You will not, can not believe how many kids, all the way up high school DO NOT KNOW THEIR ADDRESS/STREET NUMBER! They have no idea where their stop is, bus number, bus parking slot! 2) which school they belong to ( yes, unbelievable but true ). 3) be able to answer questions asked of them when bus driver/school administrators/teachers ask them their names, addresses, route numbers, bus numbers, bus slots and mom and dad names. ( you can not believe how many kids can not answer questions.
**** back to regular post ****

So the second day of school they called my bus in for service, that caused all kinds of chaos in the afternoon. I hate when they do that!

This morning, I had my music playing. I have like 3600+ songs. I have just about everything. Hard Rock, Soft Rock, heavy metal, trash metal, pop, top 20, country, country western, bluegrass, jazz, Japanese fusion jazz, folk, classical, and even rap.

Well anyway, I have picked up my last elementary school kid, heading to school when Richard Wagner "The Flight of the Valkyries", I look in the inside mirror and see one of my kindergartens " conducting " to the music. Well a couple of songs later we are at school, the kids are getting off the bus, and my little " conductor " is humming " The Flight of the Valkyries " as he's getting off the bus, as a bonus, I get a high five, and a fist bump! LoL....

Today was a 12 hour day, did my morning elementary, middle/high school route, then the vocational school shuttles, plus delivering cases of water to a bunch of schools so the drivers and attendants will have cold water this afternoon. Then finished the day with my afternoon elementary, middle/high school routes. To top off the school week, tomorrow ( Saturday) I'll be picking up boys cross country to go to a meet, afterwards going to an amusement park for a Scheduled 13 hour day!

So it's 50 to 70 hours a week 5 to 7 days until next summer as usual! Pray for me! LoL.... all joking, and some bitching aside I do love it ( most of the time LoL... ).

To end, most of the first three days for most routes went fairly smoothly, there were some chaos and confusion, but I've seen it worse!


ARman

God Bless You Man...I could not do this.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
God Bless You Man...I could not do this.

LoL.... I can tell you that is sometimes how I feel. Every once in awhile you get a kid that is just trouble, and no matter what you do, you can't get them to behave, you can't help them and it gets frustrating.

But, most of the time, you can give them a smile, high five when they need it, and you see their face light up. Then you know that, hay, maybe I made a difference.

We have three high schools, four middle schools, and nine elementary and one preschool. I'm an open route driver so I don't have any "home school", I go where needed.

I do have a middle/high school that myself and three other drivers, drive the sports teams. I'm also a backup driver for the other two. Plus the Round Robin. So, I keep pretty busy during the school year. Summer time, I drive for an elementary Summer Camp, two to Four days a week doing field trips. I'm the lead bus ( there are two of us ), so I have the little ones, kindergarten to third grade. I prefer them over the older kids! They are a lot more fun, and they listen and do what you say.

I have done quite a few different jobs, and I will say, out of all of them, this is the best, funnest, most rewarding of them all!

Is it frustrating sometimes?!? YES!! Especially when you have a trouble kid, and get no support from the school administrators.

I live in a rural, semi rural county there are built up areas, and heavy traffic. Which is fun on narrow roads, afew I drive down are one and a half lane in a Thomas HDX ( rear engine bus ), which is like driving an aircraft carrier in a bathtub!

Heck, my only regret. That I didn't start doing this sooner!

Here I am, in a park with the boys cross country, sun coming up, listening to tunes and here in 5 hours going to an amusement park, and I'm getting paid for this shit! LoL....


ARman

Thank you!
School bus drivers are the first contact kids have with the local school each morning and they can really help set a good tone for the day.

Again, thanks.

Silent

Ah, memories of the big yellow bus. Cause a fight or disturbance? The driver would immediately stop the bus (often in the middle of the street) come back and snatch up the offender or offenders and toss them off the bus. Then drive off and leave them on the roadside.
It was a different time!

quote:

Originally posted by Silent:
Thank you!
School bus drivers are the first contact kids have with the local school each morning and they can really help set a good tone for the day.

Again, thanks.

Silent

Gee, thanks! I try to have a safe and fun bus. I hope that every kid can trust me with their problems.

ARman

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Ah, memories of the big yellow bus. Cause a fight or disturbance? The driver would immediately stop the bus (often in the middle of the street) come back and snatch up the offender or offenders and toss them off the bus. Then drive off and leave them on the roadside.
It was a different time!

Well, last school year they changed the law. We can refuse to pick up the kid at school/home, or return them to said school/home if the act up.

Can't drop them in the middle, but we can now refuse service.

I remember when the bus driver would drop your ass off in the middle of the route if you acted like an ass!

ARman

Our bus driver in the 1960s was known to us only as “Sarge”. Based on his age, I imagine he was a WW2 veteran. We were all about halfway scared of him. I never saw anyone treat him disrespectfully.

Well, it's 7:30 PM EST and I just sat down, in the A/C sipping an adult beverage. Man, what a day! Up at 4:30 AM this morning, took the pups out for a quick walk and potty, fixed their breakfast, quick potty. Out the door to the compound, pretripped the bus, and arrived at the school @ 6:15 AM. Made our way to the cross country meet. They did well, but don't know where they placed, as we left around 10:30 AM to head to the amusement park, there were stilla few teams to run. On the way to the amusement park Traffic was nuts! I dropped them off as close to the front gate as possible, Made my way to park in the next country.

Spent most of the day by myself, but I did hang out with the coach some, and then some of the boys.

Had a nice lunch, did some fun things and people watched some. We headed back to the bus @ 4:30 PM.

Got to the bus 4:50 to discover they boxed me in! There was another bus to my left, cars/truck to my left, cars/truck parked in front. Luckily the three parking slots behind me were empty, the coach spotted me behind and I managed to wiggle that Thomas HDX out and loaded up and on our way!

Dropped them off and made my way to the compound. Refueled, parked and clocked out at 6:15 PM EST.

Made my way back home, got the pups out and took a 2.5 mile walk. Man, I'm so glad to be sitting in the A/C! After a long hot day, 93°F, heat index 100°F, 62% humidity ( actually low around here especially this time of year ), Dew Point 73° wind speed 3 MPH NW.

Overall, a good day, long: check, hot: check, 130 miles traveled: check. I tell you one thing, I'm sleeping in tomorrow! When I do get up, I'm going to do as little as possible! Play with the pups some and soakup the A/C!

I still can't believe I get paid for this! LoL....


ARman