Bus Ride Station

This is the most important part of the First Rider program.
* 2 volunteers
* School bus & school bus driver
* Safety cones
The volunteers are responsible for assembling participants. Families can either ride the bus together, or "first time riders" can line up in single file and ride at the front, and parents and siblings can ride in the back of the bus. Because of the age and possible anxiety of the participants, there should be some flexibility around this.
Volunteers review school bus boarding rules and then passengers get on the bus. Once the passengers are seated on the bus, the volunteer will review the rules for riding the bus. One volunteer will ride with the bus and is available to answer questions (so that the driver is not distracted). However to ensure that school bus safety rules are reinforced, this person should also be sitting down and facing forward when the bus is in motion. The bus should follow a designated route, and either proceed to another school or return to the originating destination. The bus ride should take about ten minutes. At the conclusion of the ride, the volunteer and the bus driver can respond to questions.
As passengers leave the bus, the rules for leaving the bus should be followed: hold the hand rail, walk to the curb. Children should be directed to walk at least ten big steps in front of the bus, wait for the driver's signal, and then walk across in front of the bus. The volunteer and / or driver should let them know how well they rode the bus. The volunteer should stamp card or sticker as participants leave the bus. The volunteer will then escort participants ten steps in front of the bus, explain the need to make eye contact with the bus driver and wait until the driver indicates that it is safe to cross.
Learning Objectives:
Children and parents become familiar with the school bus and are provided with the safety rules for safe school bus riding.