Bus drivers prepare for 1st day of school

Students in several local counties head back to school

ORLANDO, Fla. – Bus drivers in Orange County are getting ready for the first day of school by looking for potential problems on the road.

Local 6 was invited Friday on board a school bus as drivers performed practice runs for the start of classes next week.

"Everything is preparing for Monday," bus driver Michelle Cash said.  "Because if it's not safe, we can't get the job done."

More than 900 school buses will be filling the streets on Monday as over 70,000 students are transported between school and home.

One concern for bus drivers is for students and other drivers on the road to be aware around bus stops.

"If the red arms are out, then they're not supposed to pass," Cash said.  "But once it put on the yellow, that gives them a chance to either go around or stay behind."

With some bus stops dark during early pickups, bus drivers take extra precautions to make sure students are safe.

"When we go out there and see that it's dark and it's not safe, we try to tell the kids, 'Here is not a good location, so why don't you move up here,'" Cash said.

Roads are also expected to be busy with the more traffic, which could create delays for drivers.

"You have a lot of traffic on the roads.  All I can say is for them to be patient," Cash said.

Orange, Osceola, Lake, Flagler and Volusia counties all begin school on Monday.


About the Author:

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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