Learning about Towing Services

Learn What To Do If Your School Bus Breaks Down While You Are Transporting Kids

Being a school bus driver can be a very stressful job at times. It is fun and interesting to be able to see the children grow over the years, but knowing that you are responsible for so many children at one time can be a bit worrisome from time to time, especially if something goes wrong during your travels. While school buses are often well maintained by the school system, there are times when issues arise and the buses need to be towed back to the county motor pool to be repaired. Use the guide that follows to learn what to do if the bus that you are driving breaks down.

Safely Pull Over

When a vehicle starts to malfunction, it is important to get it off of the road as quickly as possible to avoid a potential accident. When you are driving the bus, remember that the children are not buckled in because most bus seats do not have seat belts. You need to be sure to take the time to pull over slowly and make sure you get your bus as close to the edge of the road as you possibly can.

Calm the Children

The last thing you want is for a bus load of kids to go into mass hysteria. Talk to the children on the loudspeaker of the bus and let them know what is happening. You do not have to go into great detail though, because some children will get confused by the information that you may share with them, which could lead to them becoming scared.

Contact the Motor Pool

Contact the motor pool that handles your repairs on the dispatch radio. Let them know what the situation is and that you need to have the bus towed. In order to have the bus towed, you need to give the dispatcher your exact location. If you do not know it, do not leave the bus to try to find out where you are located. You do not ever want to leave the children alone on the bus. Name the closest thing you can see and the dispatcher can look online to see where you are located.

Wait for Help

The dispatcher will send another bus to the location to pick up the children on your bus to take them to where they need to go. While waiting for the other bus, try to keep the kids entertained so that they do not worry. You could sing songs, tell stories, or even read to them. You will need to wait with the bus to make sure that the tow truck driver has what he or she needs to be able to tow the bus. You will be able to ride with the tow truck driver to the motor pool in their truck, so have your belongings ready to go when he or she arrives so that you can get on your way as soon as possible.

Being prepared to handle this somewhat scary situation will help you stay calm if it happens. Most buses break down very rarely, but being properly prepared to handle the situation is important. For more advice, speak with experts like Jenwar Towing & Recovery.


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