Mechanicville City school buses travel approximately 260,000 miles a year. It takes a staff of approximately 40 people to drive our bus routes and two mechanics to maintain our fleet of 22 buses. We transport approximately 1,300 students and service many out of district schools.
Bus safety rules
At the bus stop
- Always walk to the bus stop. Never run.
- Always go to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
- While at the bus stop, wait in a safe place 15 feet away from the road. Do not run and play while waiting.
- Never speak to strangers at the bus stop and never get into the car with a stranger. Tell an adult if a stranger tries to talk to you or pick you up.
- Wait for the bus to arrive, stay back from the road, wait for the bus to stop and the door to open before walking to the bus, watch for red flashing lights and the stop sign to be extended, if you need to cross, do so only when your driver has given you the crossing signal and all traffic has stopped. Look left, right, and left again before crossing.
On the bus
- Go directly to a seat. Remain seated and facing forward for the entire ride.
- Talk quietly (so the driver will not be distracted).
- If you need to talk to the bus driver: wait for the bus to stop, raise your hand, and call the driver’s name.
- Never throw things on the bus or out the windows. Never play with the emergency exits.
- Keep the aisles clear at all times.
- If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions.
Exit the bus
- Look to the rear of the bus before you step off the bottom step. More and more motorists are passing stopped school buses on the right shoulder – where the door is.
- Take (five giant steps) straight out the bus door, and out of the danger zone. Make sure you have eye contact with the driver, (if you can’t see the driver, the driver can’t see you) and wait for the driver to signal you before you cross in front of the bus.
- If you leave something on the bus, never return to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you come back and they may begin moving the bus.
- Also, if you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver before you attempt to pick it up, so they will know where you are.