Marie,I dont get why your officers dont watch from UNMARKED cars. dont we all slow down when we a police officer? suggest it to them, if you think the kids are at risk. or, video tape and bring it in to the police station.
we have officers at the school exit, everysingle day, watching traffic.

As a school bus driver and parent I feel everyones pain. Please do not put all the blame on us. We are given our routes for a reason. It is actually easier and safer to turn left while driving a bus. Children are let off usually on the side of the street that is safest. If your school has unsafe traffic practices, do the following, in order, to get action: go to the transporation director, next would be the principal, then the school board, the superintendent and police. Upon my recommendation, we now have a teachers aide who stops all the cars in the lot until the busees leave.
In our district, if an oncoming bus wants to turn left, the other driver puts on their hazzard lights, stops and lets the driver trun left. That way they are not backing up traffic.
If all us bus drivers stopped to let everyone back out of their driveways, I can bet the parents would be calling school complaining that junior was late getting home! I have had parents complain when I was late dropping their child off during a blizzard! I had to drive 30 down 55 mph country roads that were covered with ice and snow. Lets not forget I risked my life by driving the bus that day, but who cares???

Originally posted by <Mic mom>:

And as to the "courtesy" thing, of letting someone out. Find and dandy. Except, it's called "impeding traffic" when someone stops their vehicle on the road, and makesa line of traffic behind them all stop also, to allow someone else to make their exit.

Well, for the record and clarification, our transportation department (yep, we have a whole department that runs 10-12 buses and empolyes 25 people that is apart of our school) works very close with the city and law enforcment to assure that our childen, drivers, and our $75,000 buses get on hte road safely and on time. Each year the dept. head and traffic force work together to assure that we can use our truck with lights on and train the 40-50 teachers that volunteer for traffic duty. These are the brave soles that stand in the street stopping/directing traffic. We are not in a neighborhood or surburan area but in a very busy business district only a couple miles from the freeway.

If you still really feel these drivers have time and the need to be on the radio while trying to operate a vehichle that is not like driving a really "big Pinto" then talk to someone at your school. All I cna tell you is what I know about the very professonal way our busses are ran and how much training the drivers need before they can even start the engine!

The other option-- write down plate numbers and bus numbers and report the drivers. That's what I did last year in regards to drivers smoking on the bus.

what set me off??? "blah blah blah" I learned a long time ago I have no right to even think I am more important when we are all important and just trying to get where we are going.

Hmm. You live in my neighborhood??? Happens here also. Drivers tend to drive in a pack and have a ongoing game of trying to play beat the light. Can't count how many times I've been at the corner and seen them going thru the extremely yellows, cuz obvously they forgot how to slow down and apply those brakes.

I'm fully aware of the "important, stressful job they do" talk. Blah, blah, blah. And it all goes out the window when I witness poor driving on their part.

And as to the "courtesy" thing, of letting someone out. Find and dandy. Except, it's called "impeding traffic" when someone stops their vehicle on the road, and makesa line of traffic behind them all stop also, to allow someone else to make their exit.

We have the same problem with buses cutting off traffic leaving the school. It is not illegal for cars to stop and let buses out nor buses stop cars to let buses out. It is called courtsy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

However here is something else to think about. If a driver cuts off traffic they way it sounds, then you better also watch their speed. We have drivers here who act like they have better things to do and get done asap, and speed through their routes, to either try to be the first one at the next school, or home. I say these types of drivers do not belong driving children at all. These drivers cut off traffic and all their intersections, and don't stop for stop signs. Look around at yours, I bet some are doing the same thing.

I and others have told the co., the school, and we have told police, but nothing happens to these drivers. And I work with these clowns. And they make me so mad because they DO NOT take safety into consideration. ahahahaha :eek:

Our school is on the corner of a major intersection/busy street. When the building was bought, it was asked to install stop lights but due to the fact that the distance between the school and the intersection is not long enough we were denied. Now when the busses leave, we do have a staff member with lights on a pick-up that stops the traffic long enough for all 10-12 buses to leave. When all the buses are gone, the staff member hops back in his truck and back to the campus to assist directing at the other intercange/exit. He stops traffic at the other exit to help parents exit the campus safely. It's also a way to keep students from trying to cross four lanes of traffic and using the crosswalks provided at the intersection (we had a little girl that was hit by a truck a couple years ago).

Now we have problems with drivers smoking....smoking seems to be my pet peave these past few posts. Seriously, I'm waiting for my kids to come home and as the bus is driving by the driver is lighting up! I have compained, trust me! For me that is more :eek: than anything else!

Instead of asking the police to do something, ask how the school (and PTO) can work together to solve this issue BEFORE someone is hurt! Work smarter, not harder.