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BigBus90
Active Member
USA
19 Posts |
 Posted - 10/20/2003 : 3:07:20 PM
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Just wordering if any of your bosses have CDL's?
I just found out that ours do not have them. I think it should be required. |
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kd4jfd
Top Member
USA
1170 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 3:13:56 PM
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| Ours does, but he doesn't drive when we are short of drivers. |
539 - Repair work in progress! |
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 3:48:58 PM
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Both our dispatcher and manager have their CDLs. Both of them were also school bus drivers for our district for a number of years.
Just this past week, both were out driving routes at the same time and our dispatcher is usually out everyday doing routes and has already done two trips this year! They are certainly keeping busy! |
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Carpenter
Advanced Member
238 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 3:54:17 PM
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Yes, our boss does have a CDL and YES, he does drive a bus when we're short on drivers.
Our mechanics also drive buses when called upon as well. |
UNLAWFUL TO PASS WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 5:18:18 PM
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| Our transportation supervisor who used to do small mechanical work quit last year and we switched over to doing mechanical work in house, so we hired a full time mechanic for the district and a part time supervisor. I took the role of part time supervisor so of course I have a CDL, the mechanic also is required to have a CDL. He hasn't had to drive yet but it's good to have in an emergnecy situation. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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KMM
Advanced Member
USA
271 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 06:41:04 AM
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| No, our supervisor does not. Our fleet mechanic in the garage does though. |
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1983WardFord
Top Member
USA
1395 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 07:56:33 AM
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| Our supervisor does not. We have one mechanic that does (and only wants to drive as a last resort) and a building manager that does (and has been called on a few times already) |
Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice. |
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PHW
Top Member
USA
1345 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 08:01:44 AM
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Superior83,
Just in passing I noticed the word Yellow in your signature is hard to see due to the yellow color. |
PHW
Child Check For Life
Chock Wheels For Life
Proud American For Life |
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 08:17:26 AM
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quote:
Just in passing I noticed the word Yellow in your signature is hard to see due to the yellow color.
That's why buses should not have the black-out package!  
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1983WardFord
Top Member
USA
1395 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 6:16:22 PM
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| LOL Bob! I know it's hard to see on the white background, but there's really no way (that I know of) to get around it. |
Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice. |
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BigBus90
Active Member
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 6:42:59 PM
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That YELLOW, looks better![blue][/blue ] |
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SchoolBusFan
Top Member
USA
1769 Posts |
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bosslady
Advanced Member
USA
336 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2003 : 05:50:13 AM
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I am the boss,and I do have a CDL. I drove a bus route for 20 years before becoming the T/D 8 years ago. I sub when we are shorthanded.
As a bus driver, I drove a regular AM and PM route, kindergarten route, special ed kids, drove the activity route for a while, (the route that took kids home in the evening from athletic practices), drove activity and field trips, and was the certified driver trainer. |
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Evy
New Member
6 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2003 : 8:58:49 PM
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School bus transportation is a large job that requires many people working together to facilitate a safe transportation system. Each and every person in the system has an important role to play. We all know if anyone fails to do their job it has a negative impact on all of us.
Leave the driving to the professionals not the administrators. As an administrator I take pride in my role in the system that would include the following
- Physical Environment
- Staffing
- Resource management
- Communication
- Safety
- Driver Training
- Ect
But definitely not driving.
I’m not trying to say the it is a negative to have your bus license as a supervisor, its just not really that important.
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Peter
Top Member
USA
1057 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2003 : 8:58:20 PM
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| I believe that all of our office staff members have their CDLs except for one person, and she doesn't have a driver's license at all. About half of the mechanics have CDLs and will drive as a last resort, after all office staff are in use. |
Spicer is nicer. |
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2003 : 11:43:14 PM
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I agree with Evy. I no longer have a license to drive a school bus because of the time California requires to maintain it. In my opinion, managers in larger districts are misdirecting their precious time if they drive, even occasionally.
I'm glad I drove in the past, however. The experience gives me insight of, and empathy for school bus drivers and the sometimes tough job they do. Also, I really miss the interaction with the kids. They always made my day.
If the shop is properly staffed (lean), there should be no time available for mechanics to drive. Better to recruit, train and hire sufficient professional school bus drivers so there is no need for crisis management. |
Edited by - John Farr on 10/26/2003 07:55:50 AM |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2003 : 3:57:19 PM
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| I agree with John Farr's and Evy's posts. A manager with excellent delegating and bus driver support skills is more important than one with a CDL. I'm also not against managers possessing a CDL - simply don't see that as a requirement to be a great manager. (jk) |
Edited by - JK on 10/26/2003 3:59:21 PM |
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Holly
Active Member
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 1:40:05 PM
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I don't think it is essentially for a transportation manager or supervisor to have a CDL, or to have held one at some time in their career. But I do think that it is very helpful.
Part of the job, as I see it, requires, street smarts(so to speak). And quite honestly, who knows the area streets better than a driver.
I can look at a map and get around just fine, but might not know that one street is easier to travel by bus than another.
Also, having been a driver for 15 years before moving into a manager position, helped me be more senitive, and gave me more insight. |
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Raelyn
New Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2003 : 09:43:46 AM
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| I found out our new manager does NOT have a CDL. How can someone have a full appreciation of what us bus drivers go through if all he's done is be a paper pusher all his life? All of our prvious managers and ALL office staff have CDL's. I think he should go through the whole process we as drivers have to go through to get CDL's. He must think he's special. |
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masterchief
New Member
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2003 : 7:15:27 PM
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| Both of the owners/managers(husband & wife)of my schoolbus company have CDLs. The bus mechanic also has one. All three of these individuals drive am and pm bus routes. I see no problem with the owners/mnagers having CDLs, except that they are constantly correcting the other drivers. Monitoring is fine, but nitpicking isn't. |
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FirstStudentKid
Senior Member
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 12:12:05 PM
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Bus Managers should be required to obtain a CDL. It isn't extremely difficult for a motivated person to obtain a CDL and School Bus Permit. In cases of emergency or even a driver shortage, the Contract Managers should be capable of driving a school bus.
However, a CDL should not be required before hiring a manager. Rather the CDL should be given as part of the manager's yearly training. In addition to helping in driver shortages, having a current CDL helps the manager to understand the problems and difficulties with being a bus driver. |
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macondriver
Top Member
USA
533 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 5:02:25 PM
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| every manager should have a cdl........every staff member should have a cdl.we all do, every one in the different departments of our office and all the guys i the garage and even the big boss, the regional manager that has his office at our contract,,,,but guess who does not ???? thats right the manager, i don't think she can pass the tests///// |
Driving my way to the top, in a big yellow bus...and proud of it. |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 3:28:52 PM
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| Yes, our transportation director has a CDL. As a matter of fact, he was called out the other day to get the passengers off a bus that was disabled, so indeed he'll still drive when needed. Most of our office staff also have CDLs since they were once school bus drivers and moved to other positions in the transportation department. Our mechanics all have CDLs, too, so that they can drive the buses they're maintaining. |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Edited by - Thomas Ford 85-16 on 11/13/2003 3:29:43 PM |
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Topic |
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Does your boss have a CDL?
