Commercial driver's guide to operation, safety and licensing

SCHOOL BUS
Information for class
2 and class 4 bus
operators
While the following information may apply
to various types of buses, it is primarily
about the operation of school buses. If you
drive a bus, even if it is not a school bus,
you should still read this section carefully.
Most of the facts and procedures that
follow apply to all bus operations.
As a bus operator you are responsible
for the safe transportation of a large
number of passengers, regardless
of weather, road or traffic conditions
experienced during the trip. That
responsibility exists whether the bus you
drive is a commercial, school or private
bus. You must have the skills to adjust
quickly to changing conditions both inside
and outside the bus.
Know all the rules and regulations
under which you operate, including
company policy.
Operating a school
bus safely
School bus breakdowns
Even if a walk-around of the bus is done
daily and a regular maintenance schedule
is followed, the bus may break down when
you least expect it. If this happens on the
road, do the following:
• If possible, stop the bus in a safe place
as far off the roadway as practical.
• Analyze the situation. If the bus is
stopped in a dangerous location,
get the passengers off the bus and
guide them to a safe location. If there
is no danger, it is usually safer if the
passengers stay on the bus.
• If a breakdown occurs, and the vehicle
is stationary on a highway outside the
limits of an urban municipality during
the period between sunrise and sunset
(during the day), activate the emergency
hazard lights. Place an approved
54 A Commercial Driver’s Guide to Operation, Safety and Licensing