Avoiding a Tennessee tragedy: Local school districts take extensive measures when hiring school bus drivers to ensure student safety

by David M. Johnson

The catchy children’s tune that sings “the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round” may sound cute, but when considering the precious cargo those big yellow buses carry, one may wonder what it takes to be a good and safe driver.

This past November there was a horrific accident involving a school bus in Chattanooga, TN. The driver was driving at a high rate of speed, lost control and overturned the bus he was driving, hitting a telephone pole and tree. Five children died and another 12 children were hospitalized due to injuries from the accident.

The driver was charged with five counts of vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.   There were reports of concern of questionable actions by the driver in the past and the vetting processes in his hiring and possible others.

When pondering that recent accident that made national headlines, could something similar happen here? Are the hiring practices by local school districts taking into account that the drivers of the school bus fleet have to be more than drivers, that the safety of the children on the bus should be in the hands of very competent and responsible individuals?

ALLAMAKEE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Dave Herold, Superintendent of the Allamakee Community School District, laid to rest any possible worries that parents might have about the safety of their children on the district's school buses. Superintendent Herold and Randy Nordheim, Director of Transportation, have evaluated and incorporated a stringent set of guidelines and protocol to ensure that the best possible people are hired to drive a school bus.

This is especially important, not only for the safety of the children, but the school district also has a unique set of challenges that not every Iowa school district faces.   First, there are 23 bus routes, plus the added feature of being the fourth largest district regarding square miles, some 417 square miles. Then there is also the topography of Allamakee County where the road system may be a challenge even to the most experienced driver. Because of the number of miles and the county’s road system, strict rules and guidelines are in place so the students arrive safely at school and at the end of the day are returned safely to their homes and family.

There are also state and federal guidelines to be considered, as well as the background checks by the district. Herold listed the criteria demanded by the district for hiring a driver, which includes an application process, background check (including their driving record), and reference checks. Each applicant is required to take a pre-employment drug and alcohol test, tests that the driver is to be available for and have repeated during the tenure of the bus driver hired.

A driver hired must also have a 16-hour online training course which includes first aid and proper driving techniques, and be able to address and defuse any conflicts and or issues with students. This training is taken at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), which includes a three-hour face-to-face class (after the 16-hour class) which is a review of the previous class. Also included is other trainings (including emergency training) which would be essential and important to a bus driver. The training continues with understanding blood-borne pathogens, a Department of Transportation physical, student restraint training, an air brake endorsement, passenger and school bus endorsements, and a one-on-one interviewing process.

EASTERN ALLAMAKEE AND MFLMARMAC COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Dr. Dale Crozier, the Superintendent of Schools for both Eastern Allamakee and MFLMarMac school districts, has been responsible with reviewing and hiring the drivers for his school districts and understands the importance of hiring the individual who is the right fit to transport the students to school.

“We want experienced, competent drivers who like the kids and care about public education,” observed Superintendent Crozier. A driver desiring to be hired will have experience, a police background check, sex offender and domestic abuse check, multi-state criminal background checks, plus references will be reviewed along with some references not listed by the driver.
Dr. Crozier is comfortable with the vetting process utilized and implemented by his two school districts, noticing that other area districts employ very similar pre-employment practices. The hiring and vetting process is continually evaluated, establishing board policies and procedures that determine who is hired and not hired.

The Tennessee incident has not impacted any decision making in the hiring of drivers in the two districts under Crozier's oversight, but it has alerted and heightened interest in who should drive a bus that delivers the children to the schools in each district. Eastern Allamakee and MFLMarMac both realize the importance of having safe and responsible people behind the school bus steering wheel, so all precautions are taken to ensure the safety of the passengers of each bus.

Dr. Crozier adds, “Driving a bus is not as easy as it appears; the hours-of-the-day needed to drive a bus eliminates a lot of possible candidates. You have to be free in the morning and in the afternoon, and not everyone is.   Finally, driving a school bus is a very large responsibility, and it is larger than many realize. We are hauling human lives and that must be taken very seriously.”

LOCAL "HISTORY"
The local districts have the luxury that the communities they serve are small enough where everybody seems to know everybody, allowing further insight into the driver being hired, as he or she is not so much unknown but has a “history” in the community and district where he or she will serve. Because of this, background and reference checks include discussions with community members.

The system and criteria implemented by the districts is very similar to all districts in the area. The districts are comfortable and happy with their hiring practices and it appears that many of the parents are satisfied with the company of drivers employed by their schools.

In addition to regular drivers, the Allamakee Community School District’s substitute drivers normally drive three to five years before they are given a permanent route.  This allows for an evaluation of the driver and how that driver reacts and accommodates the needs of the students. Driving habits are observed and the driver has the chance to familiarize himself or herself with both the kids and the possible route they may drive.

HARD TO FIND?
Is it tough to encourage the employment of individuals to drive a bus? Superintendent Herold observed that “we probably do not hire more than we hire because we have very stringent and strict rules regarding our background checks, and state and federal guidelines.” After a driver is hired when he or she successfully completes the gauntlet of instruction and tests, there is also the experience of getting up early each day and driving the assigned route.

BEYOND DRIVING
The student’s first experience with school each day usually begins with their bus driver and his or her face is usually the last face they see at the end of a tiring and challenging day at school. The driver observes and experiences the trials and joys of his passengers, ranging from stomach flu incidents to where a child is distraught that they cannot find a particular item of clothing or school material that appears to be lost. That driver many times has to step in and resolve any issues, whether dealing with health or the well-being of the child he or she is assisting.

Occasionally, there are also the “disagreements” between students where the driver has to be both diplomat and substitute parent. Then there are the happy moments where that child has that smile that could light up even the darkest room. There are the triumphs in the classroom or the successes with the school play, musical concert or on the athletic field.  These experiences are shared with the drivers, and some of these same drivers not only drive the daily school routes but are also involved with driving buses to transport students to activities involving sports and other extra-curricular events.

As Superintendents Herold and Crozier and Director Nordheim have observed, these drivers many times approach their job and assignments as more of a family atmosphere experience than just a job.   Many of these drivers are raising or have raised a family themselves, so they can relate to what is demanded of them when it comes to the responsibility to safely deliver the children under their care.

There are also the many anecdotes about the driver’s concern for his passengers involving calling the bus barn to double check to ensure that the kids are being let off at a home where there is somebody actually there. Drivers will also take into consideration special circumstances to accommodate either the family or their riders.

The drivers are always aware of weather conditions or approaching weather that might inhibit their transportation from home to school and back. Drivers have numerous meetings to make any changes or adjustments to avoid accidents or incidents.

The drivers and the school districts are well aware of the incident in Tennessee, as well as other problems or incidents that have happened in other districts; a knowledge that will keep those teams abreast of how to best develop a coherent strategy to keep the kids under their care safe.

The professional attitude and personal approach utilized by the three school districts' school bus drivers is best exemplified by the lack of problems or incidents within each district. When that yellow bus travels the local back roads and highways within each district, the “wheels on the bus" do "go 'round and 'round,” safely and responsibly.