To us, school bus safety comes first. And second. And third.
Each year, over 20 million North American children ride school buses every day. At Thomas Built Buses, there’s nothing more important to us than their safety.
That’s why we do everything in our power to ensure that our passengers stay safe, starting with the design and build of our school buses—all of which meet or exceed rigorous FMVSS/CMVSS standards.
Rather than creating a traditional safety video, we partnered with YouTube comedy channel Bored Shorts TV to communicate safety tips in a fun and memorable way.
Here’s how to be even safer.
Safety Tips
for Students at the Bus Stop
- Walk, don’t run to your bus stop.
- Get to your bus stop five minutes early. And never chase or approach the bus while it’s moving, even if you’re a dog.
- Don’t play at the bus stop. Pay attention to your surroundings. Listening to music or playing video games can distract you from watching for traffic.
- Stay out of the street while waiting for the bus.
- Stay at least 10 giant steps from a moving school bus, so the bus driver can see you.
Safety Tips
for Students on the Bus
- Use the handrail to get on and off the bus. Falling is no fun.
- When you enter the bus, find your seat and quickly sit down.
- Always obey and respect your bus driver. Remember, they’re responsible for keeping you safe.
- Keep your hands, arms and head inside the bus. At least until it’s time to get off.
- Don’t touch the emergency door or windows.
Safety Tips
for Parents
- Always drop off and pick up your child at the bus stop, not across the street. Children can get excited to see you and dart across the road without looking.
- Be sure someone responsible walks with your child and waits with them at the bus stop. It’s not safe for a child to wait alone for the bus, and it’s easier for drivers to see more than one person.
- Make sure your child leaves for the bus stop at a reasonable time to avoid rushing or running.
Download our handy PDF with even more school bus safety tips.
In safety, school buses get a gold star.
Did you know that riding a school bus is 70 times safer than riding in the family vehicle?
In fact, the most dangerous part of riding a school bus is getting on and off. It’s vital that passengers take their time, pay attention to surrounding traffic and make sure that the bus driver can see them at all times.
How our school buses are safe.
Type C Buses
Our Type C buses feature Saf-T-Net construction, including side skirt reinforcement, extended roof bows and a welded header and rafter system to ensure maximum passenger safety.
Type D Buses
Thomas Built Type D buses feature double-bolted body mounting clips. The roof bows extend all the way to the bottom of side panels to provide superior protection in the event of a side impact.
Type A Buses
Our Type A buses are built with the strength of a full-size school bus with the added features of safety cage body construction with one-piece, skirt-to-skirt roof bows and two internal roof crash rails for rollover protection.
