I am curious to know if anyone out there knows the circumstances of the recent incidences regarding leaving children on buses. Since the recent incidences, the company had added additional safeguards into our daily bus routines. I liked to get some feed back on this topic.

I heard there has been something like 7-8 kids left on the buses over the last 10 or so weeks. (First Student/Laidlaw sites nation wide)

We had a child left on the bus while the driver went to the restroom at the school. The driver got fired. That was about 4-5 years ago, thats our last one at my site.

They are going back to the old hanging sign in the rear window, along with the check mate, on our buses.

They are wanting us to call the shop and tell them that the bus is empty every time we get out of the bus.

Our company (and probably all First Student locations eventually) is having us hit the check mate around the last drop off, then when we park we have to go back again and hang a sign in the window, then we have to call the shop to tell them that we checked the bus.

I asked the boss, "Since we are doing a lot more work when we are trying to get out of there, are we getting a raise?" She didn't answer. She didn't have to, I already knew the answer.

AND Our charter tickets even have a place to initial to verify that we have checked the bus for kids.

I think its a way for the company to push some of the liability back on the driver to try to make us take the law suit if it happens. I am sure First Student won't stand up for us if there is a problem. They will fire the driver and push for the suit to follow the driver.

First Student puts Drivers Last.

Yes that's the info we have gotten also, that 7/8 drivers and moniters recently have left children on buses. I have no problem with putting the signs in the windows actually some of our drivers who let kids shut their buttons before, are now going to the rear of the bus themselves and checking when they put up the sign. As far as liability goes, if the driver is doing their jobs then there should be no issue. I just feel that the more and more responsibility they give to us the more we deserve. We have a huge responsibility with our jobs. We may be part time as some say but we deliver children safely day in and day out. We not only deserve respect, but higher wages and benefits just like someone who delivers packages.

Did I hear right, that First Student had 2 more kids left on busses last week?

Not sure but I can check it out. It wouldn't surprise me thought. That is how some people are. They are not responsible. They are lazy and do not take their job seriously.

Asked around and cannot confirm that two more kids were left on busses. If I find out differently will get back to you.

A First Student school bus driver faces probable termination for sneaking a 4-year-old into her classroom an hour late Monday morning after the child — who had fallen asleep on her way to a St. Louis pre-kindergarten — awoke, disoriented, at the company's bus terminal.

St. Louis Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Deanna Anderson said the driver, who has not been identified, violated a stringent district policy by neglecting to inspect her bus after dropping off students prior to classes at the Wilkinson Early Childhood Center, 7212 Arsenal Street.

The vehicle returned to a First Student terminal near Union Boulevard and Interstate 70 with student Naiah Lee asleep and unnoticed in a passenger seat.

When Naiah awoke, she saw the driver conversing with a colleague outside the bus, according to an account provided by her mother, Del-Rio Swink-Lee.

Discovering her mistake, the driver drove the bus back to Wilkinson. There, said Anderson and Swink-Lee, the driver delivered Naiah to her classroom. She departed without notifying the child's teachers or school administrators about the situation.

Swink-Lee said it was left to Naiah to explain why she had arrived at school at 10 a.m., over an hour late. Advertisement

Putting the pieces together, the school immediately contacted a First Student supervisor. After consulting with school officials, the supervisor suspended the driver, Anderson said.

The driver originally told Swink-Lee she first noticed Naiah was still aboard when the bus was about a block away from Wilkinson.

"She lied about the whole incident," said Swink-Lee. "She walked Naiah to class and didn't even stop at the office or anything."

After each stop, Anderson said, drivers are required to register the visual inspection of a bus on the "checkmate" device installed on all school transportation vehicles. The computerized record generated by the apparatus verifies for bus company supervisors that an inspection has occurred.

It appears, Anderson said, that the driver "tried to sneak the kid back into class" to cover up the failure to inspect the bus or utilize the button-controlled "checkmate" system.

First Student (formerly Laidlaw Transportation) is the subcontractor for the city schools' transportation system.

The district has scheduled a hearing Friday to determine the driver's future.

"Our recommendation would be for termination," said Anderson. "It doesn't look good for the driver right now."

Naiah Lee, 4, arrived at school an hour late after her bus driver did not notice her asleep on the bus.

School Bus Driver Fired after Four-Year-Old Left Asleep on Bus
Created: 3/5/2008 4:35:07 PM
Last updated: 3/6/2008 9:56:15 PM

(KSDK) -- A St. Louis school bus driver has been fired after the district said she violated a policy of checking her bus after dropping off students.

Deanna Anderson, Transportation Director for St. Louis Public Schools, said a four-year-old girl fell asleep and awoke at the bus yard.Advertisement

When the First Student driver saw her, she allegedly took the child to her classroom at Wilkinson Early Childhood Center, but did not tell the teachers or school administrators why the child was more than an hour late.

PHOTO GALLERY: Girl Found Asleep on School Bus

A hearing had been scheduled for Friday, but First Student fired the driver beforehand.

First Student officials said the school adopted a zero tolerance policy in situations where a child is left on a bus because drivers not only undergo training to avoid such incidents, but buses are outfitted with an electronic system.

KSDK

As a driver, children being left on buses is inexcusable. Especially the incident we were told of where an attendant was on the bus as well.

I can only see this situation getting better by responsible caring drivers and attendants being able to afford to keep there "part-time" jobs so that First Student is not always filling them with unhappy, unqualified, undertrained people.

I need some help here people.

Does anyone have any information on a child left on a bus in MO? Missouri. We received notification that this has happened again. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I have not been here in a while, but YES Donna it is true that a child was left on a bus in Missouri on March 3, 2008.

The driver who had been employed by Laidlaw/First Student for 15 years lied about the incident and then tried to "sneak" the child into school trying not to be detected.

The driver could have just called the parents to let them know what had occured and that she would take the child to school. She had called the parents before to let them know when she would arrive early at the child's drop off point so that someone could be there to pick her up. Why didn't she just call instead of lying?

The First Student Supervisor that the incident was reported to was very unprofessional and did not seem to care about what had happened and did not return the parent's phone call for 2 days and only then did she call because it was already in the media.

If you look at the previous posts dated March 10, 2008, it actually is the media's story on the incident.

There is so much that I am unable to discuss with anyone, because the child was mine!!!!

Thanks Del. I did see your post previously. I think that this is another incident. The child was not returned back to school by the driver. The child was found by another worker in the yard.

I was just told of another sleeping child left on the bus. In Fairbanks. On a sped bus. Driver and attendant are currently still employed. Does any one have more informed information? I believe this is a very recent occurance.

Doni. Fairbanks Alaska? or someplace else I don't know about. LOL. I have only recently been told that in Missouri there was another incident. Therefore we had to do another mandatory meeting. Nothing else.