WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisc. - Most students riding a bus to school don’t spend much time thinking about who’s behind the wheel, but company and school officials do, the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune reports.
There are state and federal laws school bus companies must follow, said Fred Braun, central Wisconsin manager for Lamers Bus Lines, which transports students for the Wisconsin Rapids, Port Edwards and Stevens Point school districts.
Among those regulations: Drivers must have good driving records and no felony convictions. They also must pass personal and state Department of Transportation background checks.
“Not just anybody can be a bus driver,” Braun said. “I’ve had people who thought they could walk in and get a job, but when they found out a background criminal and transportation check is done, they can’t get into that position.”
Meghan Schroeder, 32, of Grand Rapids said she didn’t know what kind of screenings prospective drivers go through, but the mother of two school-age children was glad to hear it’s extensive.
“They spend a lot of time alone with children,” she said. “I don’t think they can be too careful.”
That doesn’t mean crashes don’t happen.
On Friday, a bus owned by Safe-Way Bus Transit hit a car that had slowed to a near stop in a lane of traffic on Highway 54 just north of East Riverview Expressway, according to a Wisconsin Rapids Police Department crash report.
There were 26 children and nine adults on the bus. One 10-year-old passenger suffered minor injuries but did not require medical transport. Police issued the bus driver a citation for inattentive driving.
Attempts to contact Safe-Way Monday were unsuccessful.
The Wisconsin Rapids Police Department does not track the number of traffic crashes involving school buses, according to the department’s records office.
Bus officials try to minimize the chances they will occur.
In addition to passing background checks, bus drivers take pre-employment drug tests, Braun said. Company officials must check to determine if candidates have been involved in any previous drug or alcohol screening programs and verify they’ve never failed a test.
Beyond the state and federal regulations, Braun interviews the candidates to determine if they’re a good fit for bus driver positions. Someone who uses a lot of bad language, for example, is probably not a person parents want around their children. A candidate who has never driven anything larger than a sub-compact probably won’t be able to handle an 80-passenger, 40-foot school bus, Braun said.
“We try to be very realistic in our interview process,” he said.
Once selected, drivers who do not already have a commercial driver’s license go through training with a senior bus driver.
After drivers complete their training, the bus company uses a third-party tester to make sure they have the necessary knowledge and skills.
Bus drivers need to keep their driving and personal records clear. They face random drug and alcohol testing. They also must continue to have a good driving record, although an occasional speeding ticket doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll lose their job.
“We take it on a case by case basis,” Braun said.
Although Braun searches for good fits, he said bus drivers rely on parents to make sure children understand proper behavior. Children need to understand drivers must give their full attention to the road. Children fighting, screaming or throwing things can’t be tolerated by bus drivers.
Bus drivers also can’t tolerate drivers of other vehicles on the roads who aren’t following the laws regarding school busses, Wood County Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Laude said. Drivers who don’t stop for the flashing lights on a school bus will receive a ticket.
(This item appeared Aug. 25, 2009, in the Daily Tribune.)
August 25, 2009