Driving a bus is not that much more complicated than driving a car. You do have to be more careful, given the length and weight of a bus, as well as the responsibility you have to your passengers.
However, the basics are the same, though you may need to learn to shift if you’ve never driven a standard before.
A Perfect Bus Driver in a Private Bus – VIDEO
https://youtu.be/eSq0vbYNXIA
https://youtu.be/I81RTjvnm5k
VIdeo – Kerala Drivers.
Most companies train employees to drive. For instance, many cities offer a training course to teach their bus drivers how to drive. Decide what kind of company you want to go with, and see if they have a training program.
- Your main options are a city bus driver, a long-distance bus driver, or a school bus driver.
- Decide based on what appeals to you most. For instance, you may not want to be a long-distance driver if you have a family to come home to. On the other hand, you may not want to be a school bus driver if you don’t like kids much.
Just like in a car, you need to adjust your seat when you get in. This step is especially important when driving buses, as other people may be driving the same bus when you’re not on shift. Also, adjust the steering wheel so you can comfortably control it.
- Adjusting the mirrors is also essential. Make sure that you can see the rear wheels in the outside ones, as well as the road behind it. On the inside mirror, you should be able to see the inside of the bus and the road behind the bus.
- The cross-view mirrors should help you see the front of the bus, what you can’t see from your seat without mirrors.
- In most buses, you’ll now need to push the starter button. However, with some engines, you’ll need to wait about five minutes before you push the starter. For instance, if your engine is diesel and has an inlet heater or glow plugs, that means these parts need to warm up before the engine is started. There should be an indicator light that turns off when you can push the starter.
- Like cars, you should position your hands in a particular way for the best grip on the steering wheel. On the bus, the recommendation is at 9 and 3, meaning that if you imagine the steering wheel as a clock, your hands will be where the 9 and the 3 are. Another way of looking at is your hands should be in the center on either side of the wheel.
If your bus is automatic, you don’t need to worry about this method, but if it’s a standard, you do. Start by establishing how many gear positions your bus has, usually four or five for driving forward, plus neutral and reverse.[8]
- You should be able to find a diagram on your bus. If you can’t, find someone more experienced to tell you about the gears on the bus.
- Once someone shows you, you may want to make your own chart just in case you forget.
- Start by pressing your left foot down on the clutch, which is the pedal to the left of the brake. Next, place your right foot on the brake, and shift into second gear, which will be your starting gear.
- Next, undo the parking brake. Slowly lift your foot off the clutch until it reaches the friction point then stop. You’ll know you’ve hit the friction point because the bus will start to move forward. Move your foot to the accelerator.
- As you start to accelerate, release the clutch with your left foot, pushing further down on the accelerator with your right foot.
- As you drive and need to go faster, you’ll need to shift up. The process is similar to how you shifted to put the bus in motion. Once again, if you are driving an automatic, you can skip this step.
- Push the clutch in with your left foot. As you do, take your right foot off the accelerator.
- Shift up into the next gear.
- Next, take your foot off the clutch, and press down on the accelerator. You’ll need to do this step a bit faster than when you started the bus moving.
- Use the same method to shift down.
