Hi there, and welcome to Life Captured.
This year, a new housing development was added to my route, bringing twenty more kids on board. If every student who signed up actually rode, I’d have 66 children on my bus—which makes for a whole lot of high-pitched, squeaky chatter!
Personally, I’m “that” bus driver (or as my son calls me, the strict one who yells). I’m a stickler for the rules and never was the kind of kid who snuck out at night.
Since the start of the school year, two different mothers have accused me of singling out their children after both kids were written up for breaking bus safety rules. One mother even stood at the bus doors during the afternoon route line-up, blocking other students from boarding, to sternly inform me that her child had never been written up until I became her driver. She threatened to take it to my boss and, if necessary, the school board.
Management pulled and reviewed the security footage, and the video clearly confirmed what happened: the student simply wasn’t following the safety rules. Shortly after, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post shared by a friend, Carolee Sharp, “Chaos in the Rearview Mirror” . It hit so close to home that I wanted to share it with you here:
Parents, please understand this: when a bus driver keeps correcting your child about how they’re sitting, it’s not always because we’re “singling them out.”
There’s a reason we tell students over and over:
- Sit ALL the way down.
- Face forward.
- Stay in your seat.
- Not sideways.
- Not backwards.
- Not on your knees.
- Not hanging into the aisle.
- Not half-standing talking to the seat behind you.
We aren’t saying it because we enjoy repeating ourselves 47 times before 8 a.m. 
We say it because we are responsible for getting your child to and from school safely.
A school bus can stop suddenly. Another driver can pull out in front of us. Something unexpected can happen in seconds. How your child is sitting matters.
So when your child comes home and says, “My bus driver is always getting onto ME,” please remember, you may only be hearing one side of the story.
Sometimes that bus driver has already said “Sit down and face forward” ten times.
We’re not picking on your child.
We’re trying to protect them. 
Please help us by reminding your kids that bus safety rules aren’t suggestions. Correcting unsafe behavior isn’t “singling someone out.” It’s part of our job.
Look at it this way: you wouldn’t tolerate a child standing on the center console and screaming while you navigate highway traffic. An airline pilot or train conductor would never allow passengers to hang out into the aisles, climb over seats, or shout over the noise! The school bus operates under those exact same safety rules: sit properly with your back against the seat, keep the aisles clear, and use a calm indoor voice. Remember, your bus driver is steering a giant yellow tank through morning traffic with zero autopilot to rely on!
Did you ever ride the big yellow machine back in the day? 🚌 What school bus safety rules do you still remember? Or maybe secretly broke? Drop your favorite memories in the comments!
Yesterday is today’s memory.
Be sure to capture your memory today!
All the best,.
Debra Ellen