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[quote=Anonymous]I’m a bus driver for area four and I really enjoy it, but it is only my second year.

The kids, for the most part, are great - of course annoying/bad stuff happens sometimes, but I haven’t have any real awful situation occur so far.

If you want to make 40hrs or more per week there is PLENTY of work available between regular routes, shuttles, late runs, field trips and other stuff.

This year I keep hearing on the radio about supervisors, floaters, drivers having to do back to back runs, especially in the Herndon pyramid. But also Marshall.

Last year the biggest problem area seemed to be Langley. I have been told their routes are very long because since there are no sidewalks, the bus driver has to practically drive from house to house to pick up/drop off students safely.

I will tell you this though, my experience in the training center last year was one of the worst of my life.

Some of them were great, but the great majority of the instructors were awful. Just bullies.

And the system is stacked against you - you spend three and half weeks in the classroom, 8hrs/day and being paid.

Then the driving instructions begin and that is where people are let go left and right.

Most people have never driven a big vehicle so it is very intimidating and we are usually very nervous/anxious. There are 8 sessions in total and you have three chances for each or you are let go.

They DON’T tell you this during the application or during the theory classes. Quite the contrary - we kept hearing that we shouldn’t worry because they would not put us out there if while we were not prepared, that they would train us until we were prepared.

I think the first 4 sessions shouldn’t even have a “pass/fail” until they just plain taught us for at least three learning periods, since they are the fundamentals: how to make turns, how to keep bus centered, how to drive in country, narrow roads, backing up/parallel parking.

But some of those instructors were awful: yelling is a constant, threatening to hit our hands with a ruler (he said it was a joke, but a very unfortunate one when we are already stressed), mocking. Just horrible.

Things I don’t like about the job:

1 - the expectation that we are just available. Like when the bus breaks down and we have to spend 2+ hours in the garage between shifts or after shift. It is paid of course, but since normally those hours are not on my schedule, I may have other, personal stuff planned.

2 - the fact that WE have to bring our own flashlights, gloves, broom, dust pan, mop, etc. even the water. Last year I resorted to buying freaking mineral water to mop my bus, at least for the first time (I reused the bottles later). Anyway, it sounds so entitled of them!

3 - the amount of holidays and students/teachers days off that is not paid. Last October there was only ONE full work week in the entire month!

4 - the fact that in this day and age there are no back up cameras in the freaking buses. Backing up is so dangerous.

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