Transporting
Passengers Safely

Before you drive, you have to be sure the bus is safe. Review the previous driver's inspection report first — you only sign off on it once every defect listed has actually been certified as fixed or confirmed not to need repair. Signing it is you certifying that work was done.

• Systems to confirm working: service brakes (including air hose couplings if towing a trailer/semitrailer), parking brake, steering, lights and reflectors, tires (front wheels can't run recapped or re-grooved tires), horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices if present, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment.
• Doors and panels: close any open emergency exits, and close any open access panels — baggage compartments, restroom service panels, engine access — before you drive.
• Interior: unattended buses get damaged, so always check the inside before driving. Handholds and railings, floor covering, signaling devices (including the restroom emergency buzzer if equipped), and emergency exit handles all need to be in safe working condition. Every seat must be securely fastened and safe for riders. Aisles and stairwells stay clear at all times.
• Never drive with an open emergency exit door or window. The "Emergency Exit" sign must stay clearly visible, and if there's a red emergency door light, it has to work — turn it on at night or anytime you're running your other outside lights.
• Roof hatches: some emergency roof hatches can be locked in a partly-open position for fresh air, but that shouldn't become your regular habit — and remember your bus sits taller with them open.
• Seatbelt: if the driver's seat has one, wear it, every time.

Never let riders leave carry-on baggage in a doorway or aisle — nothing should be able to trip another rider. Secure baggage and freight so the driver can still move freely, riders can still get out through any window or door in an emergency, and nobody gets hurt if something shifts or falls.

• Absolutely forbidden on a bus: Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 poison, tear gas or other irritating agents; more than 100 lbs of solid Class 6 poisons; explosives in the space occupied by riders (except small-arms ammunition); labeled radioactive material anywhere riders sit; and more than 500 lbs total of otherwise-allowed hazardous materials, or more than 100 lbs of any single class.
• Riders sometimes try to board with unlabeled hazards without realizing it — don't allow common items like car batteries or gasoline as carry-ons.
• Standee line: no rider may stand forward of the rear of the driver's seat. Buses built to allow standing must mark a line on the floor (commonly about 2 inches wide) showing where standing riders cannot go past — everyone standing has to stay behind it.
• At destinations and intermediate stops, announce the location, the reason for stopping, the next departure time, and the bus number. Remind riders to grab their carry-ons, and if the aisle sits lower than the seats, warn them about the step-down — ideally before you've fully stopped.
• Charter bus drivers shouldn't let riders board before the actual departure time — it cuts down on theft and vandalism while the bus sits.

• Passenger supervision: lay out any comfort/safety rules (smoking, drinking, radios) right at the start of the trip — it heads off problems later. While driving, keep scanning the bus interior the same way you scan the road ahead, to the sides, and behind.
• At stops: riders can stumble boarding, exiting, or when the bus starts and stops. Warn them to watch their step, and wait until they're seated or braced before you move. Keep starts and stops smooth. If a rider is drunk or disruptive, never put them off somewhere unsafe — wait for the next scheduled stop or a well-lit area with other people around.
• Most common bus accidents happen at intersections — stay cautious even when a signal or sign is controlling the other traffic. School and transit buses often clip mirrors or nearby vehicles pulling out from a stop; know your bus's clearance, watch for poles and low tree limbs, and wait for a real gap before merging — never assume another driver will brake to let you in.
• Speed on curves: Most curve rollovers and run-offs trace back to excess speed, often worsened by rain or snow. The posted speed on a banked curve is calibrated for cars, not necessarily your bus — with good traction a bus can roll, with poor traction it can slide off. If your bus leans toward the outside of a banked curve, you're already going too fast — slow down.

• Drawbridges: stop at least 50 feet before the draw if there's no signal light or attendant, and confirm the draw is fully closed before crossing. You can slow and check instead of stopping if the light is green, or if an attendant/officer is controlling traffic whenever the bridge opens.

Inspect your bus at the end of every shift. If you drive for an interstate carrier, you must complete a written inspection report for that specific bus, listing anything that could affect safety or cause a breakdown — and if nothing's wrong, the report should say so.

• Riders sometimes damage safety-related parts — handholds, seats, emergency exits, windows. Reporting that damage at shift's end lets mechanics fix it before the bus goes back out.
• Mass transit drivers should also confirm passenger signaling devices and the brake-door interlock are working correctly.

• Fueling: avoid refueling with riders aboard unless it's genuinely necessary, and never refuel inside a closed building with riders on the bus.
• No distractions: don't chat with riders or take on any other distracting activity while driving.
• Towing/pushing: don't tow or push a disabled bus with riders still aboard unless getting them off would itself be unsafe — if you must move it, go only as far as the nearest safe spot to let riders off, and follow your employer's specific guidelines.
• Brake-door interlocks (common on urban transit coaches) automatically apply the brakes and hold the throttle at idle whenever the rear door is open, releasing once it's closed. It's a helpful safety feature — but it is never a substitute for actually setting the parking brake.