Bus Patroller Training

The following information is designed to assist the bus companies and bus drivers to understand what duties the Front Bus Patrollers have been trained to perform at their annual Safety Patroller Training. Role of the bus patroller: Primary role To help the bus operator transport passengers to their destinations in a safe and orderly manner.( boarding/disembarking duties and assisting in evacuations front door, rear door, window evacuation and hydro hop) Secondary role To educate schoolmates about how to ride a school bus safely by setting a proper example. The Patrollers are trained on all duties that a bus driver may ask them to perform. The parameters of their duties are determined by CAA Traffic Specialists in consultation with the Ontario School Board Insurance Exchange. The CAA School Safety Patroller Program is also fully supported by the Ontario School Bus Association. The School Principal, Patroller Supervisor and Bus Driver determine which, if not all, of the duties the bus patrollers will perform that best meets the individual circumstances and needs of their school and bus company/driver expectations. The Teacher Supervisor and Patrollers are expected to talk with their bus drivers and have a clear understanding what the agreed upon expectations are. Common duties bus patrollers are responsible for: Keeping passengers calm in emergency situations Keeping aisle clear of all objects Making sure that objects are not put or thrown out of windows Asking passengers to stop any dangerous or disruptive activity Reporting to the bus operator, passengers who ignore your instructions Performing any patroller duties as requested by the bus operator.

(Note: Patrollers MUST wear their vest on duty! A patrollers role does not include disciplining or arguing with people who choose to ignore direction. These types of problems need only to be reported to the bus driver or teacher supervisor for resolution.)

FRONT PATROLLER DUTIES The Front Patroller always sits in the front seat opposite the bus driver so they can see and communicate with each other clearly.

Boarding from the same side as the front door: These steps are followed if the patroller is also boarding with the other students; like at the end of the school day and was not initially on the bus. Patroller stands in duty position at the opened door on whatever side of the door gives them the best view of the students approaching the bus. Once everyone has boarded, the patroller grabs onto the opened door (back side / right side from the drivers perspective), crouches down, scans under the bus from where they are, looking from one end of the bus to the other (driver can still see them crouched and holding on the door). When it looks clear of anyone or anything under the bus the patroller tells the driver all clear and enters the bus. Boarding students when the patroller is already on the bus same side as front door. Patroller walks to the bottom step, holding onto the handrail and then looks right, left then right again to ensure there are no hazards outside the bus. When clear, they exit the bus and take a duty position outside the door enabling them to board passengers safely. The side of the door they choose to position themselves on is determined by how easily they can see the students approaching the bus. Unless instructed otherwise, the patroller always checks under the bus from the door position before entering the bus (always holding onto the door where the driver can see them). Exiting the bus - Same side as the front door: Patroller proceeds to the front door first, walking to the bottom step while holding onto the handrail. They look right, left then right again to ensure there are no hazards outside the bus. When clear, they exit the bus and take on a duty position outside the door in line with the opened door on the front (engine) side so they can clearly see the passengers exiting the bus.

Patroller ensures passengers exit the bus safely and leave the roadway safely before checking under the bus and returning to their seat. Disembarking students to a location across the road: Whenever a patroller leaves the bus they always repeat the above checks before exiting the bus (bottom step, hand rail, look R,L,R). They wait outside at the front side (left side in drivers view) of the door to watch and ensure passengers exit safely. Once students are on the sidewalk or shoulder of the road the patroller tells the students to follow me and walks 10 paces from the front of the bus. The patroller STAYS ON THE SHOULDER/SIDEWALK. THEY DO NOT, AT ANYTIME, WALK ONTO THE ROAD. (New guidelines from the Ontario School Board Insurance Exchange Risk Assessment) Patroller ensures their duty position keeps students away from the road and behind them until the driver gives them the signal that it is safe to cross the students. When the driver gives the patroller a clear sign, like two thumbs up, then the patroller turns (opens the gate) allowing the students to cross and telling them they can cross. The patroller keeps an eye not only on the students crossing but the bus driver for the entire time the students are crossing in case the safe crossing status changes and they have to stop them from crossing (can be an issue with larger groups). Boarding students from a location across the road: Patrollers follow proper exiting procedures and set up in their duty position 10 paces from the front of the bus. Patroller faces the students across the road, in their duty position, with his/her palms facing the students to indicate that it is not safe to cross. Once the bus driver gives them the safe signal then the patroller turns their body and waves for the students to cross the road while watching the students cross and keeping their eye on the bus driver. Patroller crosses the students in front of them and ensures they wait in a safe location off the roadway until everyone has crossed. Then the patroller tells the students to follow them back to the bus. The patroller takes a duty position in line with the rear-side (right side from drivers view) of the opened front door in order to watch the students walking toward the bus and onto the bus. Once they are on safely, the patroller completes their check and returns to their seat.

FYI, Middle and Rear Patroller positions were reviewed in the academic portion of training and during the bus evacuation practical led by 1st Student Bus Co. Trainers.

Another update from previous years re: Bus Driver (OSBIE) Patrollers are instructed to stay in their seat, where they are safe, in the event something happens to the bus driver. They were advised they could be seriously injured if they get up to help while the bus is in motion because the bus could hit something and they could become a projectile inside the bus. Patrollers can use their own judgment and common sense in different situations like calling for help on the radio if the bus is stopped but, from a liability standpoint, they were told to stay in their seats where they are safe.