Drivers

My buses are driven by the same driver each day. 

Children develop a positive relationship with the driver, promoting good behaviour.The drivers get to know the children's routine and those that have special needs. In addition parents build up trust with the driver.

Registers

Drivers have a list or register of all the children that are travelling on the bus. To get onto the register parents must fill in an application form. This process provides vital information about the child's travel patterns (which days, where from, where to, and if they are being met from the bus). If a child does not show up at their usual pick up point the driver informs Hotline who then contact the parents to find out where the child is.

The application procedure acts as a 'contract' where parents sign up to their role in the scheme, agreeing to certain terms and conditions: for example, informing the My bus Hotline when appropriate, meeting their child from the bus in the afternoon, ensuring their child is at the bus stop on time and that they understand the My bus Code.

Hotline (0113 348 1122)

Parents call the Hotline to relay messages to the driver. If their child is not using the bus on any of the days they are booked on (e.g. through illness), parents call the Hotline to relay this to the driver. The driver then knows exactly who is travelling each day. If a child does not show up at their usual pick up point the driver informs Hotline who then contact the parents to find out where the child is.

Exclusivity
The only people permitted to use the bus are children carrying yellow bus-bus passes.

Driver Training

My bus drivers (the regular drivers and the back-ups) receive additional training in order to become yellow bus drivers. The training covers aspects of attitude, safety and yellow bus procedures.

Safety lessons

The My bus team visit schools in the run-up to the introduction fo the scheme at their school with a bus to enable children to learn how to travel safely. They practise boarding and alighting, learn how to keep safe during the journey and are asked to obey the 'Yellow Bus Code' which they are taught by the team. 

Benefits

• Less school gate congestion, pollution and fewer accidents on local roads.
• Reduced truancy and late arrivals.
• Lower car mileage on the road network.
• Improved safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Better preparation for start of pupils’ school day.
• Better behaviour when travelling.
• Positive experiences of using public transport.
• Tackling social exclusion.
• Meeting targets for excellence in education.
• Providing integration for children with special educational needs.
• Complement initiatives to encourage walking and cycling to school.
• Enable children to develop independence in a safe environment.
• Improve educational performance and attendance.