No one likes to contemplate the idea of a school bus being involved in a major accident, such as one which leads to it flipping or rolling. But, the reality is that such accidents are always a possibility. Even the best-trained school bus driver can be undone by circumstances beyond their control.

So, bus evacuation is an aspect of bus safety training that simply can't be ignored. The school bus driver and the students need the best possible chance of escaping a bus, even under crisis conditions.

The iconic school bus is a familiar site during the fall months. Driving this vehicle is still a major responsibility, but advances in transportation technology have done their part to improve the school bus driver experience and make the daily ride safer for students. Here are just some of the tools that are transforming the way the school bus operates.

School districts across the country are struggling to fill vital school bus driver positions. There’s a reason that great school bus drivers are difficult to find and keep: driving a school bus requires more than just driving skill and patience. The job requires a unique skill set, and it’s not as easy as you’d think.

There are a lot of factors behind the current shortage of school bus drivers. One of the biggest reasons is that school bus driving can be seen as an unattractive career choice. There are many common problems and complaints about school bus driving which can prevent otherwise qualified people from pursuing it. A school district should look to mitigate these factors and offer school bus drivers what they want from their jobs. This will go a long way towards ensuring their routes remain fully staffed.

One of the most critical --and often overlooked-- areas of school transportation systems is the problem of maintaining high standards and high morale among school bus drivers. It's a high stress and often seemingly thankless job, yet an absolutely vital position in any school district.

This is something the Hillsborough County Public School District (HCPSD) in Florida is uncomfortably familiar with. Theirs is a district which has faced problems with bus transportation for years, and much of it directly relating to issues surrounding their school bus drivers. Multiple audits over the years have shown that their drivers were underpaid, undertrained, undersupported, and suffered from poor morale. Accordingly, the district has also faced a chronic shortage of drivers, compounding all these problems.

School bus drivers are typically required to complete extensive training before hitting the road. In most districts, this includes instruction for dealing with emergency situations. Deciding what topics should be covered can be a difficult decision because training utilizes valuable time and resources. Here are some subjects that should be included in your school bus safety training program.

School buses are truly the country’s largest public transportation systems. In recent years, incidents around the country have forced the important issue of student safety to the forefront. As parents, teachers and administrators advocate for increased security for school bus riders, equipping school buses with monitors is on the rise.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the American School Bus Council, six in ten parents are concerned about having their children ride on school buses. While the reasons behind their worries ranged from accidents to bullying, unsafe drivers and lack of information were two top concerns.

Retaining good school bus drivers continues to be an issue for transportation departments nationwide.  Districts that offer competitive salaries as well as health and retirement benefits find it a lot easier to retain drivers.  However, this may be difficult for some districts that are faced with limiting budgets.  In addition to paying drivers a decent wage, they also need to provide enough working hours, ongoing training and create a supportive working environment.

School bus driver shortages are occurring nationwide, so it is important for school districts to recruit and hire qualified candidates.  Even though there is a driver shortage transportation officials should not relax hiring standards in order to rush and fill open positions.  It takes someone with very special and unique skill sets to be a good school bus driver.