op here. Thank you to the few responders who had something useful and constructive to say. This is an elementary school bus so the kids are pretty young-at least at our stop. I know kids and parents on our bus stop but not others so I can go to other parents to talk about kid behaviors. I suggested to the principal to have kids review rules and expectations for riding the bus in class-they might need a refresher. And its been a few other kids who complained. One parent pulled her kid from the bus because her kid was scared or the driver. I get that its a hard job to control loud kids on the bus-but wonder if there are different ways to do that without making young kids afraid of the drivers.
anyway. case closed. thank you!

Anonymous wrote:my kiddo takes a school bus to school and lately is coming home upset because the bus driver is yelling at other kids and scaring the younger riders. This has been going on for a few weeks. Some parents complained. I wrote to the principal and was told my message would be forwarded to person responsible but so far nothing. Anyone have dealt with this? what is the process for complaints like that? Should I go directly to bus depot?
Thanks.

This is principalesse for they can't be bothered with your problems. It means that your concerns will just be ignored.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

Where is there anything about misbehaving, when you assume you make an ass out of u and me

You... think a bus driver is just yelling at kid for no reason at all? Really? That he's yelling for funsies? You think that's the likely scenario? Instead of a frustrated driver trying to keep a bus full of children safe, and tired of unruly older kids? Did you never ride a bus to school when you were a kid?

Team driver, 100%

Busses are a huge issue in MCPS. First issue is the kids do not behave as they should and the bus driving is stuck driving the bus and trying to keep the environment calm/quiet enough for the driver to avoid accident. We really really need monitors on busses to manage kids behavior while drivers drive especially for the elementary grades. Unruly kids need to be banned from busses quickly as well. Bus drivers need to just drive the bus not also manage kids who are behaving poorly. Second issue is there is a bus driver shortage since as you might imagine poor working conditions plus low pay does not equal loads of people wanting this job. It is not like there is a surplus of drivers to replace subpar drivers —meaning subpar at managing kids not subpar at driving skills. Third, the busses are kind of their own fiefdom. You need to complain to the bus depot in charge of that bus route not the school Principal.

My advise is for you to reach out to other parents on the bus to see how wide spread concerns about this driver are and then as a group contact the bus depot to lodge a complaint. No, the driver should not be yelling at the kids and scaring them unless the kids present a safety issue to the drivers ability to concentrate. My guess is the driver is stressed and the kids are behaving loudly if not badly. See if you can advocate for a parent volunteer to ride the bus to help get a hold of the situation or if you can advocate to sort out who the unruly kids are and have them removed from the bus. Or, if the driver is really yelling for no reason the advocate to have the driver removed.

Anonymous wrote:my kiddo takes a school bus to school and lately is coming home upset because the bus driver is yelling at other kids and scaring the younger riders. This has been going on for a few weeks. Some parents complained. I wrote to the principal and was told my message would be forwarded to person responsible but so far nothing. Anyone have dealt with this? what is the process for complaints like that? Should I go directly to bus depot?
Thanks.

Yes, I would do that. I would aim for a non-confrontational, non-blaming, balanced tone. Bus drivers have a tough job, but also you're concerned because the kindergartners are scared.

Anonymous wrote:And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

Where is there anything about misbehaving, when you assume you make an ass out of u and me

Anonymous wrote:You’re upset with the bus driver, but not with the kids who are being unruly and not listening to the driver?

+1
reminds me of the meme cartoon with a "Before" pic of parents yelling at child for a bad grade; to "Now" pic of parents yelling at teacher for a bad grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

+1
The kids are sooo loud on the bus, and they don't listen.

Maybe parents should offer to volunteer to be bus monitors.

+1 but no they will just act shocked when the bus driver and teacher shortage grows.

You’re upset with the bus driver, but not with the kids who are being unruly and not listening to the driver?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

+1
The kids are sooo loud on the bus, and they don't listen.

Maybe parents should offer to volunteer to be bus monitors.

Or ban the kids from the bus for a week, so that parents of the unruly kids have to drive them in. Maybe *then* the parents will parent their kids.

Imagine the stress of being a bus driver - and then being blamed. I hope OP is a troll.

Anonymous wrote:my kiddo takes a school bus to school and lately is coming home upset because the bus driver is yelling at other kids and scaring the younger riders. This has been going on for a few weeks. Some parents complained. I wrote to the principal and was told my message would be forwarded to person responsible but so far nothing. Anyone have dealt with this? what is the process for complaints like that? Should I go directly to bus depot?
Thanks.

There is no such thing as a kiddo.

Anonymous wrote:And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

+1
The kids are sooo loud on the bus, and they don't listen.

Maybe parents should offer to volunteer to be bus monitors.

And this is why no one wants to work with school districts anymore. Has anyone even suggested going to the parents of the misbehaving kids?

my kiddo takes a school bus to school and lately is coming home upset because the bus driver is yelling at other kids and scaring the younger riders. This has been going on for a few weeks. Some parents complained. I wrote to the principal and was told my message would be forwarded to person responsible but so far nothing. Anyone have dealt with this? what is the process for complaints like that? Should I go directly to bus depot?
Thanks.