Videos are one of the easiest ways to train new school bus drivers: they can watch at home, rewatch the hard parts, and every driver hears the same thing. They don't replace a trainer in the bus, but they make the time with the trainer go much further.
Here's where to find school bus driver training videos, which topics to start with, and how to keep a record of who watched them.
Where to find them
- Your state. Several states publish training videos for school bus drivers, such as Ohio's pre-service training videos and North Carolina's school bus driver training videos.
- Operation Lifesaver has videos for school bus drivers on railroad crossings.
- Training companies sell libraries of school bus videos by subscription, for new drivers and in-service training.
- Your bus and lift makers often have videos on their equipment.
- Your own short videos filmed in your yard, on your buses.
Tip: Film your own pre-trip walk-around on your own bus, in two or three minutes. New drivers learn where everything is on the buses they'll really drive.
What to watch first
- The pre-trip inspection on your buses.
- Loading and unloading students, and the danger zones around the bus.
- Railroad crossings.
- Student management: behaviour, bullying and what to do.
- Emergencies: evacuation, breakdowns and accidents.
- The child check at the end of every run.
- Wheelchair lifts and securement, for drivers and aides on those routes.
- Your own rules: using the app, calling in, time off.
Proving they watched
A video only counts if you can show who watched it and when. Keep a dated record for each driver, and ask a few questions afterwards, in person or on a short quiz, to check they understood. Many states count only certain courses toward required training hours, so check before you count a video.
Good to know: Videos support training; they don't replace the classroom and behind-the-wheel hours your state requires. Check your state's rules for what counts.
Doing it in FleetCommander
Sharing them. On Drivers › Onboarding, upload each video to YouTube (it can be Unlisted, so only people with the link find it), then + Add video and paste its link with a title and a description. Reorder them with the arrows. Drivers watch them under My Day › Onboarding, right on the page, and tap I've watched this, which is saved with the date. See the Driver onboarding guide.
Seeing who watched. Drivers' progress lists every driver with the videos watched, the handbook read and Done, or a bar such as 2 of 3. Drivers finished shows how many have done it all, and a driver without a login is marked, since they can't open My Day. Nothing is locked: no driver is blocked for not finishing. Yearly in-service training can be tracked under HR as a certification.
Ava (Beta), the assistant in the app, answers Drivers who haven't finished onboarding or Who hasn't watched the training videos?. More on her page.
Related reading
Questions people ask
- Where can I find school bus driver training videos?
- From your state (Ohio and North Carolina, for example, publish them), Operation Lifesaver for railroad crossings, training companies, bus and lift makers, and your own short videos.
- What training videos should new school bus drivers watch?
- Start with the pre-trip inspection, loading and unloading, railroad crossings, student management, emergencies, the child check and, where needed, wheelchair securement.
- Do training videos count toward required training hours?
- Sometimes. Many states count only approved courses. Videos support training but don't replace the classroom and behind-the-wheel hours required.
- How do you track which drivers watched the videos?
- Keep a dated record for each driver, and check understanding with a few questions afterwards.