Letter: Tighten school bus policies
The driver of a school bus carrying five children crashed into a home on Teibrook Avenue in Syosset, police said. (Oct. 3, 2012) Credit: Kevin Imm
I am writing this from my experience driving a school bus for seven years ["Protect our schoolchildren," Editorial, Oct. 15]. There is a lot that the school bus company can do to minimize the risk of having its drivers work after consuming alcohol.
The company I worked for did not allow drivers to take their buses home. A number of bus companies allow their drivers to take buses home for lunch, between morning and afternoon routes, and some companies allow their drivers to keep the buses at home overnight.
At first glance, this appears to be a convenience for both the company and the driver. However, if a driver had been drinking alcohol or was out late partying with friends, there would be no check on that driver to see whether he or she should be kept off the road.
Where I worked, we had to check in with the dispatcher and hand in our company card in the morning and the afternoon, to be swiped to verify that we were there and ready to go to work. The dispatcher could then determine whether we were fit to drive.
The bus company must be vigilant to make sure that its employees are fit to drive.
Roger Kaufmann, East Northport
