[REVISED: 2/19/16]                                                   Printable .pdf of this page

MONTGOMERY BUCKS
PUPIL TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION
SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS SAFETY COMPETITION

Introduction

 Safety Competitions have proven to be one of the most effective instructional tools available to improve a person’s driving skills. The safety competition emphasizes the following objectives:

1. To motivate reinforcement of learning and good practices involved in superior job performance as a school bus driver.

2. To recognize excellence and provide for demonstration of skills and responsible performance of the demanding job of the school bus driver.

3. To develop public awareness of the skills and responsibilities involved in the job of a school bus driver.

4. To encourage communication between drivers to share awareness and experiences.

  SAFETY COMPETITION INFORMATION

  GENERAL INFORMATION

The information assembled in this booklet is patterned after the Pennsylvania and National School Bus Drivers Safety Competition. It is not intended that all events or competitions will be conducted in the same manner, but it is designed as a guide in the preparation of contestants for the Pennsylvania School Bus Drivers Safety Competition. Because of the possible various locations of events the measurements at each event will not necessarily be the same as what is written in this information booklet.

CLASS AND SIZES OF BUSES USED

 The committee will provide buses for all contestants. All buses are Blue Bird Vision, 77-passenger conventional buses with air brakes. Width is 96″, length is 474″ (39′ 6″), and wheelbase is 273″ (22′ 9″).

PARTICIPATION IN FIELD EVENTS

Contestants will be assigned a number on the morning of the competition. Contestants will be expected to drive in that order unless the judges rule otherwise. Events may not be in the order listed.

SEAT BELTS

 All buses will be equipped with a seat belt for the driver. Contestants MUST WEAR seat belts in all field events. Failure to use the seat belt during the field events will automatically disqualify the driver.

REGULATIONS

1. Contestants are to report to the designated area between 6:30 -7:15 A.M. on April 30, 2016. Late arrival could disqualify a contestant. The written test will start promptly at 7:45AM. Drivers will be required to show their CDL (photo license), School Bus Endorsement Card, and Physical Card at the time of registration. A driver without the proper credentials will not be allowed to participate. 

2. Contestants will be required to stay in the driver’s area until assigned to begin competition.

3. Any driver who knowingly accepts signals from spectators or another driver is automatically disqualified. All spectators and drivers who are not in the competition must stay in the areas designated for that group.

**********CELL PHONES ARE PROHIBITED*********** 

4. In all events, the bus doors must be kept closed unless rules and regulation of the event requires them to be opened. It shall be assumed that the driver has pupil passengers on board from the start of the contest and, therefore, he/she must conduct himself accordingly. Five demerits will be charged in all events if the above-mentioned rules are not followed.

5. Bus lights shall be on during the time the bus is in operation according to the current regulation.

6. Each contestant will be required to maintain proper driving position at all times except when the rules of the event require the contestant to leave the seat of the vehicle. Proper driving position is being firmly in the seat with feet placed firmly on the floor or on controls. The seat belt will be worn and snuggly fastened at all times during the competition. The driver will not be permitted to put his/her head out of the bus window.

7. Because of various regulations used by school districts, the safety competition rules shall apply, even though they might vary from the rules and regulation that a driver normally operates under.

8. Due to the fact that contestants will be in one group during the competition, each contestant is placed on his/her honor not to assist another contestant in any way, in as this could result in total disqualification.

9. Each contestant will have sufficient time to become familiar with controls and instrumentation of the bus prior to the operation of the vehicle. All contestants should inform the judge (starter) when they are ready to begin the equipment defects events of the field events. No contestant will start an event unless informed to so do by the judge of the event. All contestants should remember that the last driver through should be given the same respect as the first driver competing.

10. Winners will be announced upon completion of all events by all contestants. All contestants are requested to remain in the driver’s area until all events are final and the announcement of winners is ready to be made. Each contestant will receive a certificate of participation. First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth place trophies will be awarded. Seventh through twentieth place will be recognized with a ribbon. There will also be an award to the best score among First-Time participants.

11. In the event of a tie among the seven finishers, totaling the first four driving events of the contestants involved in the tie will break the tie. If a tie still exists, the fifth driving event will be considered, etc.

SAFETY COMPETITION EVENTS

Each of the following sections includes the title of the event, the purpose of the event, and a description of the event, special instructions, and the judging/scoring procedures. The better the contestants understand this information, the more successful they are likely to be in competition. The sequence of events in this booklet is not necessarily the sequence of the events of the competition. All events in the safety competition are included. 

PREPARATION TO DRIVE

Driver number shall be placed on the front bumper of the bus. Drivers have 5 minutes to adjust seats and mirrors and become familiar with equipment before starting the event. Seat belts must be worn and headlights must be on during the event.

WRITTEN TEST

Maximum Score – 100 points

Purpose of the event: There are many laws, rules and regulations which a school bus driver must become familiar and which he/she must faithfully observe. These laws, rules, and regulations were established as a result of years of study and experience. The purpose of this test is to determine the extent of the contestant’s familiarity with these important guidelines of safe driving.

Instruction: The contestant will receive test booklet consisting of 25 questions. The contestant will choose the best answer and mark his/her answer sheet accordingly.  A 30-minute time limit is given to complete the test.

Scoring: For each correct answer the contestant is awarded 4 points. All questions were compiled from the following publications:

1. Pennsylvania School Bus Driver’s Manual, Penn Dot Pub# 117.

2. Recent Regulation Changes.

All answers were determined by information found in the above publications.

START

Maximum Score – 30 points

All buses will be equipped with a seat belt for the driver. Contestants MUST WEAR seat belts in all field events. Failure to use the seat belt during the field events will automatically disqualify the driver.

HEIGHT JUDGEMENT

Maximum Score – 15 points

This test is designed to determine the contestant’s ability to judge overhead clearances on both sides of the top of the bus. The bus will be stationary approximately fifteen (15) feet from the pole vault standards. The driver will direct the judge to raise the pole vault standard until, in the drivers’ determination, the exact height to clear the bus under the cross bar is reached. The pole will only be moved in one direction. The driver will blow the horn when the correct height is reached.

Scoring: Scoring for this is 5 points per inch over the exact measurement where the bus will be clear. Anything below clearance will be a 15-point deduction.

VEHICLE INSPECTION

Maximum Score – 50 points

Purpose of the event: A school bus driver is required by law to make a daily inspection of his/her bus before transporting pupils. A school bus found to be unsafe should not be used for the transportation of students until such defects are corrected. Such inspection should be planned and conducted in a systematic and logical manner to assure that all defects are noted. The purpose of this event is to evaluate the driver’s efficiency of conducting this inspection.

Instructions and scoring: The contestant will make a systematic, logical, and thorough inspection of the bus. Do not start the engine of the bus for any inspection procedures. All points will be awarded for defects found and reported to the judge. All defects found are awarded 10 points toward the total for the event. 

The time limit for completion of the bus inspection is six minutes.

BACK UP

Maximum score – 50 points

Instructions and scoring: Each stall (to back into) is identified by parallel lines on the pavement 10 feet apart. Each front corner will be marked by upright standards that will not interfere with the backing of the bus. In order to limit the driver to established maneuvering room, a front wheel limitation line will be placed on the pavement perpendicular to the parallel stall marker lines.

The approach to the back up stall will be made from the right side of the roadway. The driver will be permitted two backups before demerits will be charged for excessive backing. Five demerits will be given for each instance of backing more than twice. Upon completion of the event, the bus should park as nearly in the center of the ten-foot stall as possible. (This should be both ends of the bus). Centering will be determined by the relationship of the center of the front and rear bumpers to the center of the stall. Five demerits will also be given for each six inches, or fraction thereof that bus is parked in excess of one foot from the rear barrier. Contestant will blow the horn to notify judges upon completion of the event.

If the driver opens the door while proceeding through the event demerits will be given.

A FIVE-MINUTE limit is placed on this event. If the time is exceeded 50 demerits will be given.

RAILROAD CROSSING

Maximum Score – 35 points

Purpose of the event: To evaluate the driver’s degree of care and knowledge of laws, rules and regulations required operating a school bus across railroad tracks.

Instructions: A simulated railroad crossing will be established. Layout will be as follows:

1. A simulated roadway that crosses a parallel set of tracks.

2. A railroad crossing sign will be placed in the position at right side of roadway.

Scoring: Everything required of a driver will be judged from the time the contestant approaches the crossing until he/she reaches the other side of the crossing. Driver will be checked on use of mirrors, stopping bus, opening door, checking traffic, driving across railroad tracks, etc. While most violations charged in this test are violations of fixed laws and regulations, some are based on generally good, acceptable, safe driving procedures. 

STRAIGHT LINE

Maximum Score – 50 points

Purpose of the event: To determine the driver’s ability to maneuver the wheels of a school bus over a straight path of a given width.

Instructions: The right wheels of the bus must travel the path without striking or moving the markers with any wheel. The bus must be operated in a continuous forward motion. The distance between the markers is the width of the dual wheels plus 3 inches.

Scoring: Points will be deducted for stopping during the event, touching or knocking markers off, backing during the event, or driving to either side of the markers.

DIMINISHING CLEARANCE 

Maximum Score – 50 points

Purpose of the event: In this event the driver is required to drive the bus in a straight line with diminishing clearances, and also to drive in a smooth continuous manner.

Instructions: For the purpose of conducting this event four pairs of parallel standards will be set up. Each pair of standards however will be parallel one to the next. The distance between each pair of standards will be 25 feet. The width of each pair will vary as follows.

1. Beginning at the start of the event, the width of the first pair of standards will be equal to the widest part of the bus plus eight inches.

2. The width of the second pair of standards will be as above plus six inches.

3. The width of the third pair of standards will be as above plus four inches.

4. The width of the fourth pair of standards will be as above plus two inches

The driver will be expected to proceed through this lane in a smooth and

continuous manner without touching any of the marker standards.

Scoring: Two demerits will be given for each instance of jerky or uneven movement (with a maximum of 10 demerits). Two demerits will be charged for each instance of stopping the forward motion of the bus (with a maximum of 10 demerits). Five demerits will be given if the driver opens the door while proceeding through the event. Five demerits will be given for each instance of opening the door. Demerits will be given for bumping or touching any of the barriers.

PARALLEL PARKING 

Maximum Score- 50 points

Purpose of Test: This event is designed to evaluate the contestant’s ability to park the bus parallel to a curb without touching barriers placed at both ends of the parking area, without touching the curb and within 18 inches of the curb. It is also designed to judge the contestant’s ability to drive the bus out of the parking area without touching the barriers or the curb.

Instructions: A section of rope will represent the curb, unless a natural curb is available. Two barriers will be set at right angles to the curb line, extending out eight feet from the curb. The distance between the two barriers will be:

For all transits, the length of the bus plus six feet. 

For all conventional and small buses, the length of the bus plus seven feet.

Measurement will be made to determine how close the bus is parked to the curb line, and for determining the number of demerits to be charged. The contestant must have the bus parked, set parking brake, and sound the horn when finished.

Backing in: The contestant will be permitted to back up twice before demerits are charged.

Pulling out: The contestants will be permitted to back up twice before demerits are charged.

Scoring: Scoring will be based on the method in which the driver enters and exits a stall.

Demerits

Failure to park the bus, set parking brake and sound the horn Within the three (3) minute time limit                                                                                                               50

Bus touching front or rear barrier at anytime                                          50

Failure to wear seat belt                                                                       50

Keep the door closed during event                                                        50

Failure to complete event                                                                     50

Failure to use right turn signal before entering                                      50

First instance of touching curb with tire                                               50

For each instance of backing more than twice                                        5

(Not to exceed 25 demerits)

Scoring for Zones Parallel to Curb: 

Zone 1         0″ to 3″ from curb                                                    0 demerits

Zone 2          3″ to 6″ from curb                                                   3 demerits

Zone 3          6″ to 9″ from curb                                                   6 demerits

Zone 4          9″ to 12″ from curb                                                 9 demerits

Zone 5         12″ to 15″ from curb                                              12 demerits

Zone 6         15″ to 18″ from curb                                              15 demerits

Over 18″ from the curb                                                             50 demerits

Scoring for Pulling Out 

Failure to use left turn signal                                                     50 demerits

Each instance for backing more than twice                                    5 demerits

(Not to exceed 25 demerits)

First instance of touching the curb with tire                                50 demerits

Failure to cancel directional signal                                             10 demerits

STOP LINE 

Maximum Score – 50 Points

Purpose of event: This event is designed to determine the driver’s depth perception, his/her ability to use cross view mirrors, and the ability to bring the bus to a smooth, complete stop at a designated point.

Instructions: A stop line, 4 feet long will be established at the end of a straight line. The driver will be expected to bring the bus to a complete stop as close to the stop line as possible. Only one stop should be made. The driver can approach the stop line at any desired speed.

Scoring: Five demerits will be given for each instance of bringing the bus to a stop more than once. Fifty demerits will be given if the bus goes over the stop line. Measurement will be taken from the front surface of the front bumper. The bus is expected to stop within 2 inches of the stop line. Three demerits will be charged for each two inches, or fraction thereof, that the bus exceeds the tolerance after being brought to a final stop. 

RIGHT TURN 

Maximum Score – 50 points

Purpose of the event: This event is designed to determine a driver’s proficiency in judging the distance and handling of a bus in making a right hand turn at a street intersection. The street intersection will be considered to have both streets 40 feet wide, with parking permitted on each side of the street.

Instructions: The driver will proceed on a street and successfully maneuver the bus through a right hand turn onto an intersecting street. The maneuver will be conducted in a smooth manner through the turn at a speed equal to a right hand turn conducted during a dally run.

Scoring: Everything required of a driver making a smooth right hand turn at a street intersection will be included. Driver will be scored on the use of turn signal, checking cross traffic, proper traffic lane, hitting a curb or parked cars and the position of the right rear tires as they cross both the entering and exiting scoring plates.

It will be assumed that both streets are an artery and no stop of the bus will be required.

OFFSET ALLEY 

Maximum Score – 50 points

Purpose of the event: The event is designed to evaluate the driver’s ability to handle the bus under actual or simulated driving conditions An offset alley is set up to determine the contestant’s ability to drive the bus through two offset lanes with a minimum of hesitation and without touching barriers.

Instructions: Two sets of parallel barriers are set up 10 feet apart. The right hand barrier of the first set is placed in a direct line with the left hand barrier of the second set. The distance between the two sets of barriers (from the end of the first set to the beginning of the second set) will be the length of the bus plus 3 feet.

Scoring: Eight demerits will be given for each instance of stopping the forward motion of the bus while proceeding through the offset alley. Five demerits will be given if the contestant opens the door while bus is in motion. The contestant will be disqualified (50 demerits) if the bus is backed up at any time during the event.

SUMMARY OF POINTS PER EVENT 
&
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS

Course Description                                                          Possible Points
WRITTEN EXAMINATION                                           100
START                                                                            30
HEIGHT JUDGEMENT                                                    15
VEHICLE INSPECTION                                                  50
BACK UP                                                                        50
STOP LINE                                                                      50
RIGHT TURN                                                                  50
PARALLEL PARKING                                                    50
OFFSET ALLEY                                                              50
STRAIGHT LINE                                                            50
DIMINISHING CLEARANCE                                          50
RAILROAD CROSSING                                                  35
Total Possible Points                                                     580