Securing a wheelchair takes a couple of minutes at each stop, and it's the most important couple of minutes on a special needs route. A loose strap or a lap belt across the stomach can turn a hard stop into a serious injury. Most mistakes are the same few, and a short checklist catches them.
Here's a practical school bus wheelchair securement checklist for drivers and aides, and how to check the equipment itself.
At every stop
- Face the chair forward, centered in the securement position.
- Set the brakes, and turn off the power on a powered chair.
- Attach all four tie-downs to the frame, at the points the chair's maker marks, never to wheels, armrests or footrests.
- Tighten them so the chair doesn't move, with the straps at about a 45-degree angle to the floor.
- Fasten the student's lap belt low across the hips, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt across the chest, not the neck.
- Check that nothing is loose on the chair: trays, bags and equipment stowed or secured.
- Don't move the bus until the chair and the student are both secured.
Tip: The chair's tie-downs hold the chair; the lap and shoulder belt hold the student. Both are needed every time, even on a short ride.
Common mistakes
- Hooking a strap to a wheel or a part that comes off.
- Straps too flat or too steep, so the chair can slide or tip.
- The lap belt over the armrests or high on the stomach.
- Skipping the shoulder belt.
- Not checking again after a hard stop, a bump or a long run.
Checking the equipment
- Every pre-trip: the tie-downs and belts are there, clean and not frayed, and the floor tracks are clear.
- Every month: retractors pull out and lock, buckles latch, and the floor anchors are tight.
- Replace any strap that's cut, frayed, stretched or has been in a crash.
Good to know: Follow the bus maker's and the securement maker's instructions, your state's rules and each student's plan. Some chairs aren't made for travel; ask the school or family what the student's plan says.
Doing it in FleetCommander
Which buses carry wheelchairs. On a school bus's record, enter the Wheelchair capacity and tick Wheelchair lift, so dispatch puts the right bus on the route.
The checks. Add Wheelchair tie-downs and belts present and in good condition as an item on the pre-trip template under Inspections › Templates, and mark it Safety-critical. For the monthly check, Manage › New template with the Type set to Monthly. A failed critical item gives a box to take the bus out of service right there, opens a defect for the shop, and tells managers. See the Inspections guide.
The people. Aides are kept under Drivers › Aides with their training and clearances, and a route's students can be marked as special needs. See the Aides guide.
Ava (Beta), the assistant in the app, answers Which buses have a wheelchair lift? or Any open defects on Bus 104?. More on her page.
Related reading
Questions people ask
- How do you secure a wheelchair on a school bus?
- Face it forward, set the brakes and turn off a powered chair, attach four tie-downs to the frame at about 45 degrees, tighten them, then fasten the student's lap belt low on the hips and the shoulder belt across the chest.
- Does the student need a seat belt if the wheelchair is tied down?
- Yes. The tie-downs hold the chair; a lap and shoulder belt hold the student.
- Where should wheelchair tie-downs be attached?
- To the chair's frame, at the points its maker marks, never to wheels, armrests or footrests.
- How often should wheelchair securement equipment be checked?
- Look at it on every pre-trip and test the retractors, buckles and anchors at least once a month.