Leading by Example

1. Leading by Example 2016 FAPT Spring Driver Trainer’s Workshop

2. What makes a successful school bus operator? • Good role model • Shows interest in children • Positive skills and attitude • Team Player • Promotes professional growth • Leadership

3. Show interest in your children • Learn their names • Know their interests • Know who gets a long with whom on the bus • Greet them with a smile and their names and you will begin building a relationship

4. Our Objectives • Develop a commitment to your leadership role with students • Understand the benefit of providing quality customer service • See the safety and communication benefits of positive attitudes • Understand how to play your position on the Team • Growing as a successful Transportation Professional

5. Leadership – The School Bus Operator as a Role Model • School bus operators are important individuals in the lives of children – often play the role of a dependable adult with consistent service

6. Positive Role Models… You can affect your students in a positive or negative way. It means more than you might think. What do you mean to a child who may be dealing with challenges that aren’t obvious?

7. Bus Operators as Dependable Adults Sometimes you can be dealing with children who face these personal realities: • Criminal activity in the home • Absent Parents (working long hours) • Being part of Foster Care System • Physical, Mental or Sexual Abuse • Inattentive/Unconcerned Parents • Caretakers for Sick/Addicted Parents Many children in today’s society are crying out for a dependable adult

8. How Much Time Can a School Bus Operator Spend With a Child? • Elementary Teacher (1 year) = 900 hours • High/Middle School Teacher (1 year) = 180 hours • School Bus Operator (13 years) = 2,340 HOURS

9. Be an Ambassador for Education • Fair / Positive / Consistent • Operators who take time for their kids tend to be most successful • Be an example of caring adult / in control of emotions and actions – the children will notice, whether they verbalize it or not • You might be a role model some children might not experience anywhere else in their life • Don’t ever assume being a school bus operator isn’t important • Show a personal interest in the students you transport – sometimes no one else does.

10. YOU as the OWNER How would you act… …if your investment (a $120,000 bus with big payments), personal liability, and livelihood were at stake every time you speak to a child or parent? …every time you travel down the road? …every time you load/unload a child?

11. Customer Service • Remember you have 4 different customers, the school district and the student, parent, and public • Realize and react to your customers changing needs and circumstances • Make your customers believe you provide professional customized service.

12. Personal Interest… Children are important as individuals and as members of families. They are a work in progress Make everyone feel important Evaluate your service Your bus is a travelling billboard. What does your bus say about you?

13. The Bottom Rung No one focuses on the bottom rung of a ladder when they begin to climb – they keep their eyes on the goal at the top. However, the bottom rung is really the most important, because without it, the climb cannot begin.

14. Be the Most Incredible Bottom Rung! • America’s front door to education is painted yellow • In order to have people notice the bottom rung for any reason other than it’s absence or other deficiencies, it MUST excel. It must be the most incredible bottom rung imaginable. It must shake people out of their focus on the top to marvel at that incredible bottom rung. • Don’t ever assume being a School Bus Operator isn’t important!

15. Focus on Customer Service • If transportation provides exactly what is required, it won’t be noticed. It takes an extra focus on customer service to impress someone before their second cup of coffee in the morning! • How can you be that impressive?

16. Provide Excellent Customer Service Experience • Be able to recognize when to say “I can’t make that decision” and talk to your Director • Carry some of your director’s business cards • Be sure to brief your director about a possible call • Never compromise your professionalism • Always emphasize safety

17. Positive Attitude • Fundamental ingredient for success • Not necessarily beliefs, opinions or values • Inherent disposition that we have toward a situation, individual, or idea • Come’s from parents, friends, mentor’s, church, personal experience

18. Characteristics of Attitude • Attitudes are Contagious • Attitudes are Dynamic • Can be Irrational • Cultural

19. Equation for Success Skills + Attitude = Performance How good an Operator you are depends more on your attitude toward your job than any other factor. Does your attitude need an ajustment ? Complacency Kills…

20. Take Your Attitude Temperature How important is it for me to avoid a school bus crash? Am I proud of my safety record? Do I continually work on my safety techniques? Why do I follow safety driving procedures? (Because someone said so, or because I believe in Safety?) Does my attitude about the job of driving a bus have an impact on my ability to be a safe and productive employee? Does my attitude have an impact on how I treat others?

21. Our Choices are based on Attitude… • Drinking and driving • Speeding • Seatbelt use • Railroad crossings • Yellow traffic lights • Aggressive driving • Drowsy driving • Complete stops • Other examples from your experience

22. Be A Team Player Each driver is simultaneously a Mentor and Mentee, always teaching others, (whether we realize it or not), and always learning from others – for good or for bad.

23. Be A Team Player What are some ways we can be Team Players? 1. Being prepared to help if a Route Manager is in need of a driver unexpectedly 2. Maintaining professional attitude and environment (our bus) 3. Helping out other drivers with directions, etc. 4. Showing up on time, being consistent and reliable. 5. What other ideas do you have?

24. Operator’sResponsibilities • Maintain highest degree of driving safety • Require proper behavior of students • Load/unload students correctly • Learn and practice defensive driving techniques • Obey all applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations • Follow all District policies and procedures

25. Which Operator Are You? • Imagine what it would be like to be a passenger on a bus with a operator who encompasses the skills and attitudes we discussed today. • Imagine what it would be like to be a passenger on a bus with a driver who DOES NOT encompass the skills and attitudes we discussed today.

26. Control Rumors and Refuse Gossip • Evil wins when good people are silent • Go straight to the source • Go to a Supervisor and ask to confirm or disprove • Refuse to listen or pass on rumors/idle talk/dirt/misinformation

27. Understand and Respect Diversity • Words do hurt including ethnic, sexist, and racial jokes/remarks • Stick up for each other • Don’t go along with mean hateful humor • Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the workplace environment

28. Be Courteous • It does make a difference • Please and Thank you are lovely words that should be used often • Don’t demand • Don’t make threats • Be kind always

29. Appreciate Each Other • Our jobs are not easy • Many operators help others by picking up children on another operator’s route • Bringing in snacks to share • Organizing a social event • We need each other

30. Take Responsibility for improving our environment • Pick up after yourself and others • Control your volume in the drivers room • Don’t exclude others • BE NICE!

31. Our Common Goal Whatever is required to get our children safely to and from school

32. WHICH DRIVER WILL YOU BE? A Child Is Counting on YOU…