Menu
Precious cargo on board
Nevada R-5 school district has 48 buses and 45 full-time drivers plus teachers, coaches and part-time drivers.
For 16 years Cliff Pettibon, transportation supervisor for R-5 schools, has been responsible for the safety of the children who ride his buses.
He does the bus maintenance, supervises and trains drivers, plans routes, and addresses the problems of keeping the loading and unloading issues to a minimum at each school.
Following a carefully laid out plan, each bus goes to each of the schools picking up and dropping off children.
Some of the buses do not go to the high school.
"Most children ride the bus an average of 45 to 50 minutes," Pettibon said. Although the buses are able to carry up to 65 passengers, less than that is ideal. "65 children on a bus is three to a seat and we don't like them that crowded."
Bus safety features include colored eight-way lights, front crossing bars, stop signs, and lettering. There is a strobe light on top of the bus used to simply make it more observable during dark or foggy conditions.
Drivers are always available through two way radios on each bus. Video cameras are used to observe students and drivers.
Although buses average 300,000 miles driven each year, Pettibon insists the buses are safer today than ever.
"The designs are good, and designers are always checking with drivers for ways to make them better," he said.
"All buses now have automatic transmissions. The lights and stop sign and crossing bar in front, now automatically work when the door is opened so the driver doesn't have to be fiddling with those controls and can concentrate on watching the students while they get off and on the bus," he explained.
Twice a year the highway department conducts a thorough inspection of each of the buses. Pettibon pulls each bus in during the summer months and checks the brakes, steering, tires, lights, etc. to make certain they are ready for the next school year. During the year each bus gets regular maintenance.
"When I came here the buses were all old. Dr. Davis and the school board have made sure we get some new buses each year. This has helped a lot," Pettibon added.
Bus driver qualifications include having a commercial driver's license, passenger endorsement and school bus endorsement. Drivers must pass drug tests, a yearly physical and a criminal history check. They also get training in CPR and First Aid.
"These are well trained and skilled professional drivers," Pettibon said, proudly.
Ammon Hizer has been a bus driver for 34 years. "I know I have some of the kids and maybe grandkids of my earliest students," he said.
He has a rural route he drives once a day.
Some problems he's noticed over the years is traffic congestion at the Bryan and high school bus zones when people park there or drop off children. The buses are confined to one side of the building and the parents should drive to another entrance, he explained.
He appreciates the new buses. "The mirrors are great now, you can see better on both sides of the bus. The crossing bars that keep children away from the front of the bus and more visible to the driver are also very helpful."
He says "kids are kids" and he hasn't seen much difference in the generations. Since he knows most of their parents, usually saying he will tell their parents if they misbehave, is enough to keep the students on their best behavior on his bus.
"The majority of parents are very supportive of the bus drivers," he added.
Shelly Minor has been driving a school bus for 20 years. She has a rural route and also the early childhood route which involves students who attend school for half days only, making her drive her bus three times each day.
One of her concerns is when people drive into the school bus loading zones to drop off students. "They don't realize how it distracts the bus drivers and how difficult it might be to see small children darting in and out among the buses."
Minor cautions drivers to help prevent accidents.
"They need to realize how an accident involving a child would affect the driver who might hit them, and everyone else who might witness it."
Drivers on the road who refuse to stop when the bus stop sign is extended and lights are on are a danger to themselves and innocent children.
Minor said it is not uncommon to have the highway patrol follow a bus driver who has reported such incidents to catch the person responsible for putting children's lives in danger.
"The kids are great," she said. "I have several second generation students on my route, too. The only discipline problem I've faced is having to ask the children to stay seated."
Minor wanted to remind parents that the buses do have a pretty tight schedule and when children are repeatedly late getting to their pick up areas, it makes all the children late getting to school.
Jerry Quackenbush is a part-time driver starting his fourth year with Nevada R-5. He enjoys his job and says his only problems with students arise when they leave their seats and or use foul language.
He hopes when parents are called to school because of something the bus driver has reported, that they will listen with an open mind.
Some safety rules set by the Nevada R-5 school district are:
* Be at the bus stop on time.
* Wait for the bus in a safe place away from the road.
* Take your seat immediately.
* Stay in your assigned seat while the bus is in motion.
* Keep hands, arms, head and belongings inside the bus at all times.
* Listen to the driver and follow directions.
* Leave the bus carefully without pushing or shoving.
* Look both ways before crossing the road or street.
* Cross in front of the safety arm on the bus.
* Do not go back to the bus if you drop or forget something.
Anyone wishing to contact their bus driver can do so at any time by calling the bus service center at (417) 448-2096.