School Bus FAQ

All school bus drivers employed by Fullington School Bus possess a valid Commercial Driver License and meet all the requirements of the Bureau of Traffic Safety, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for school bus drivers including but not limited to age, fitness, competence, conduct, licensing, physical examination, and continuing eligibility. Our drivers are required to pass periodically administered physical examinations as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or the US Department of Transportation.

School bus drivers, managers, driver trainers, and mechanics are required to attend monthly, and as needed, safety meetings that address various safety related topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, changes in Pennsylvania Vehicle and Crimes Code and other regulations, defensive driving, responsibilities at an accident scene, driving in adverse weather conditions, student discipline, bullying, drugs and paraphernalia usage, medical issues, and review of school district policy requirements and requests. We invite school district personnel to attend meetings with our drivers. We occasionally conduct mock school bus accidents with participation from emergency responders. Also, a law enforcement official presents a program addressing drug trends in our community for the school bus drivers.

Absolutely! Fullington School Bus abides by or exceeds all guidelines listed in the school district transportation contract. The Fullington Auto Bus Company has provided safe transportation in the industry since 1908 and works collaboratively with the school district. We provide a rapid response by all pertinent divisions to all issues reported by district personnel, parents, and the general public and have the experience to handle any issue that may arise. The Fullington Auto Bus Company Safety Division provides support to the school bus locations. Each school bus location is staffed by a school bus manager, school bus assistant, driver trainers, a mechanic and mechanic helper and bus washer.

A back to school meeting is held prior to the start of the school year that reviews policy that the drivers must abide by. All drivers receive mandatory training through our monthly safety meetings. Each month we try to select a main topic that is reviewed in detail. Visual aids such as training videos that address specific topics support our efforts to educate our drivers. Hands on training, such as the mock school bus accident training, provides opportunities for drivers to view the response from emergency personnel and question them after the event. Guest speakers from a district nursing staff provided information on how to respond.

All school buses are consistently maintained to the standards of the Pennsylvania State Police and are annually inspected by a Pennsylvania State Police Motor Carrier Inspector. All school buses receive an “A” inspection every 3,000 miles as part of Fullington School Bus Preventive Maintenance Program to maintain safety. On a daily basis, the head mechanic and the mechanic’s helper are available on site before the school buses leave in the morning and until they return in the evening. School bus drivers are also required to inspect their school bus for any defects before, during, and after each trip and immediately submit a written report to the school bus manager of any problems.

All of our school buses have “heavy duty brakes” and a two-way radio system. Roof top strobe lights have been installed to increase visibility, even though they are not a state requirement. All new school buses are equipped with dual escape hatches, state of the art LED lights where possible, increasing visibility for the public. All school buses are equipped with a fire extinguisher, first aid and body fluid kit, triangles, crow bar, and extra fuses as required by the Department of Transportation. Electric outlets have been installed at school bus locations to plug in engine block heaters to allow for easy starting of school buses during winter months. This maintains on-time school schedules.

The Fullington Auto Bus Company Human Resources Division administers pre-employment requirements including a physical, drug screen, tuberculosis testing, child abuse clearance, Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check, and a Pennslyvania Department of Education FBI finger print clearance check. Additionally, a check of the driver’s Motor Vehicle Driving Record is done initially and at least once per year thereafter. An annual physical examination is required for each school bus driver. The Fullington Auto Bus Company has a zero tolerance policy for drug and alcohol use by any safety sensitive employee. All safety sensitive personnel, in accordance with federal regulations, are entered into the random drug-testing pool. Fullington School Bus updates and submits school bus driver names and credentials throughout the year to appropriate district personnel.