Most problems between a school bus office and its drivers are communication problems: a stop change nobody passed on, a sub who didn't know the route, a message that went to the wrong person. Drivers are on the road, often without a desk or a computer, and they can't read while driving. The right channel for each kind of message makes a big difference.
Here's how to communicate with school bus drivers, and what each channel is good for.
Which channel for which message
| Channel | Good for | Not good for |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way radio | Emergencies and quick calls while on the route | Anything long or that needs a record |
| Phone call | Urgent problems, a driver who's late, sensitive talks | Anything they need to look back at |
| App messages | Route changes, stop changes, reminders, questions, with a written record | Emergencies that need an answer this second |
| Notice board and meetings | Policies, training and safety reminders | Day-to-day changes |
Tip: Send route changes in writing, always. A driver remembers a phone call at 6 a.m. far less well than a message they can open again at the stop.
Never while driving
A driver should never read or type a message while the bus is moving. Set the expectation: messages are read before the run, at the end of it, or when parked safely. Anything urgent during a run goes by radio, where your state allows it, or to a phone that's hands-free.
Good habits
- Keep route talk on the route, so a sub or the next dispatcher sees the whole history.
- Keep private matters private: pay, discipline and personal issues in a one-to-one chat or in person.
- Tell drivers before the change, not as they arrive at the stop.
- Ask them to reply to important messages, so you know they saw it.
- Keep messages short: the route, the stop, the time and what changed.
Things to avoid
- Personal phone numbers in group chats, which share drivers' numbers with everyone.
- Changes passed on by word of mouth through another driver.
- Messages with no record, which can't be checked after a complaint.
Good to know: Many states restrict phone use by school bus drivers while driving, including hands-free in some states. Check your state's rules and put them in the handbook.
Doing it in FleetCommander
Two conversations. Every route has Messages with dispatch under it on the driver's My Day, for that route only: a delay, a stop change, a question. Anyone who can see the route in the office can read it. Messages from the office is a private chat between one driver and your staff, which no other driver can read. A new message notifies the other side, and unread ones show on the notification bell. See the Messaging guide.
Route changes, automatically. When a route is given to a driver, changed, cancelled or given a different bus, the driver is told straight away, even if your company has turned other notifications off. Drivers see their routes, stops and bus on My Day.
Ava (Beta), the assistant in the app, answers Any unread messages? or Who's driving route 7 today?. More on her page.
Related reading
Questions people ask
- What's the best way to communicate with school bus drivers?
- Use radio for emergencies on the road, a phone call for urgent or sensitive matters, and app messages for route changes and anything that needs a written record.
- Should school bus drivers read messages while driving?
- No. Messages should be read before or after a run or when parked safely. Many states restrict phone use by bus drivers while driving.
- How should route changes be sent to drivers?
- In writing, before the change, with the route, stop, time and what changed, and ask the driver to reply so you know they saw it.
- Should drivers be in a group text?
- It's better not to: group texts share personal numbers and mix route talk with everything else. Keep route messages with the route and private matters one to one.