1. Trooper Craig Tuhy NDHP Southwest Region
School Bus Workshop
Trooper Craig Tuhy
NDHP Southwest Region

2. Introduction Transporting of school children is a fact of life.
All possible safety precautions should be applied.
To be a good school bus driver one must be informed.

3. Care & Inspection Required by the ND Department of Transportation.
Exterior Inspection
Interior Inspection
Daily Road Check

4. Exterior Inspection-Walk Around
Lights
Mirrors
Windows
Rear Door
Exhaust
Fluid Leaks
Tires
Wheels
Under the Hood

5. Interior Inspection Lights Mirrors Windows Defroster, Fan and Heater
Drivers Seat and Seat Belt
Emergency Door and Buzzer

6. Interior Inspection Cont.
Emergency Equipment
Horn
Stop Control Arm and Service Door
Air Pressure and Vacuum Gauge
Brake Pedal and Warning Light
Fuel Gauge
Oil Pressure Gauge
Water Temperature Gauge

7. Daily Road Check While Bus is being driven
Evaluate the working condition of equipment that can only be checked while the bus is in motion.

8. Laws and Regulations Commercial Drivers Qualifications
Class Licensing System
Training Requirements and Regulations

9. Driver Qualifications
NDCC
NDCC or
Class A, B and C licenses qualify as Commercial Licenses
Endorsements/Restrictions-P Endorsement

10. Driver’s Tests Minimum Requirements for safe driving Vision check
Knowledge check
Skills test
Pre-trip inspection
Basic vehicle control
On the road test

11. Training Responsibilities
Attend annual training workshop
DD-4 workshop every 5 years-new drivers must attend within 1 year of employment
Other meetings called by transportation supervisor

12. Driver Regulations Maintain good discipline among passengers
Traffic laws must be obeyed
Professional attitude with students
Drivers well groomed and neatly dressed
Smoking or chewing tobacco is prohibited
No alcohol consumed by driver during or 8 hours prior to any transporting of students
All vehicles used to transport students must be inspected yearly by the Highway Patrol

13. Driver Regulations Cont.
Drivers are responsible for notification of any malfunction or mechanical problem with the bus
All students must be accounted for
Follow bus route approved by the school board
Motorists passing a school bus with red lights on and stop arm extended should be reported
Two way radio is to be used only for business pertaining to transporting of students

14. Driver Regulations Cont.
Accidents involving a school bus must be reported immediately
Only qualified, trained and licensed substitute drivers should be used
Drivers responsibility to keep bus clean
Detailed reports must be submitted daily showing the number of students transported
Students only dropped off at designated stops unless authorized by parents or school

15. School Bus Regulations
All seats must be forward facing-unless transporting handicapped passengers
The School Board must have corrections made on district-owned buses as specified by the Highway Patrol
All equipment should be in working condition as required by the North Dakota School Bus Standards
Maximum length of school bus is 40 feet
Each bus must have the standard school bus glossy yellow color on the exterior

16. School Bus Regulations Cont.
“School Bus” in letters 8 inches in height must be printed on the front and rear of each bus
A school bus may be equipped with studded tires
Bus can only tow a trailer to and from extracurricular activities
Outside of rear door must display “This School Bus Stops At All Railroad Crossings”

17. School Bus Regulations Cont.
The words “School Bus” must be covered or removed if not used for transporting students
Each passenger must be comfortably seated
All busses put into operation after July 1, 1998 must be equipped with a stop arm

18. Fueling Restrictions DO NOT FUEL IF: The engine is running
The radio is transmitting
The vehicle is close to an ignition source
Passengers are aboard

19. Safety Strobe Lights Manufactured after July 31st, 1998
Must be operated whenever the bus is being operated on a highway for the purpose of transporting students
It is unlawful to operate the safety strobe light when the bus is used for any other purpose

20. Driving Techniques for Buses
Take time necessary to look at intersections
Longer buses need to take wider turns
Come to complete stops at red lights and stop signs
Slow down-don’t speed

21. Loading & Unloading
More children are killed getting on or off a school bus each year than are killed as passengers inside a bus
Avoid unsafe conditions which could result in injuries and fatalities during and after loading and unloading of students

22. Approaching The Stop School Districts have established routes
Never change location of bus stop without written approval from officials
Slow rate of speed
Look for pedestrians and other traffic
Check all mirrors

23. Approaching The Stop Cont.
Activate Amber warning lights no less than 300 feet away, no more than 500 feet
Place in park or neutral with parking brake set
Open service door slightly to activate red lights when traffic is a safe distance away
Open service door fully when all traffic has stopped

24. Passing a Stopped School Bus
(1) $50.00 fine and 6 points
Make sure that stop arm and lights are working properly
Try to get license plate number
Next best thing would be vehicle make, style, color, direction of travel, approximate speed and description of driver
Registered owner of vehicle is responsible if they will not identify who was driving the vehicle

25. Loading Students should be waiting in designated location
Students should wait for drivers permission to enter bus
Keep track of who is on the bus
Wait until students are seated and look to see if anyone is running to catch the bus
If a student is unaccounted for get out of the bus and look underneath the bus
Allow traffic to disperse before continuing

26. Unloading Students remain seated until told to exit by driver
Check mirrors
Keep track of who is leaving the bus
Tell students to walk away from the bus so you can see all the students
Make sure no one is returning to the bus
Allow traffic to disperse before continuing

27. Railroad Crossings Approach the tracks with caution and decelerate
Activate the hazard-warning flasher lights
Stop within 50 feet but no less than 15 feet of tracks
Open the entrance door of bus
Turn off radio, ask for quiet and LISTEN!

28. Crossings Cont. Look in both directions for train or signals
Cross tracks in low gear
At multiple crossings, stop only at first track
Choose an escape route in case of emergency
If gate comes down on bus, drive through it and break it

29. Special Situations High Winds Keep good grip Anticipate gusts
Drive slower
Backing
Discouraged
Never back a bus when students are outside
Increased risk of collision when backing

30. School Bus Crashworthiness
8 times safer in school bus than in a car
Crash rate is .2 fatalities per 100 million road miles
1.5 fatalities per 100 road miles for car
Lap belts in school buses have little or no benefit in reducing injuries on buses
Lap and shoulder belts could provide some benefit

31. Crashes Involving School Buses
In 2006, 24 crashes involved school buses in North Dakota
4 injuries and no fatalities
This is below the 10 year average of 30 school bus crashes since 1997

32. Crash Procedures NDCC 39-08-06
The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident involving injury or death shall immediately stop at the scene of the accident or as close as possible until the requirements of law have been fulfilled

33. Crash Procedures Cont.
The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall immediately stop at the scene or as close as possible
The driver of a school bus shall notify the Transportation Director of any accident which involves the school bus and complete any reports that may be required

34. Crash Procedures Cont.
Remain at the scene of any crash until law enforcement gives permission to leave
Do not attempt to move injured people unless there is more danger in the bus than outside the bus

35. What to do in case of a Crash
Turn off ignition
Apply parking brakes if possible
If necessary to remove injured, do so with extreme care
Prevent or extinguish fires
Protect passengers from other traffic hazards, set out flags or reflectors

36. What to do… Cont. Give first aid to injured Send for help
Gather information pertinent to the crash such as names, license numbers, location, time and date
Do not let students leave unless they require medical attention immediately

37. Emergency Evacuation When to Evacuate?
Risk of staying in bus exceeds having occupants on the bus
Examples: Fire, stalled on RR tracks
How to Evacuate?
Orderly manner
Need a leader and a helper

38. Emergency Evacuation Cont.
Leader will take people evacuated to a safe location
Helper will assist getting people off of bus through emergency door or aisle door
Driver should have list of those on the bus and know the number. Driver is responsible to direct the evacuation

39. Emergency Evacuations Cont.
Know your emergency exits: doors, windows, roof hatches
Calm and orderly fashion
One aisle at a time
Alternating seats
Start from front to back or back to front or split depending on severity of situation

40. Emergency Evacuations Cont.
Go over emergency evacuations with students several times during the school year
Practice emergency evacuations during the school year

41. Questions?

42. Have A Safe School Year!