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29 |Thursd ay Au gust 17, 2017 | OAKVILLE BEAVER |w w w .insidehalton.com school buses, houses adminis trative personnel as well as the mechanics and bays. I climb into a 40-foot, Its a 40-foot metallic beast, but I `slayed' it on this day, even if 72-passenger yellow bus that it was while riding and control costs about $100,000 new. It is more than twice as long as the ling it for just a short time. I tried m y hand, for the first largest vehicle I'v e ever driven, that being a family minivan. time, at driving a school bus. I'v e got Kevin literally hav First Student, one of the pri ing my back, standing behind mary providers of school stu dent transportation in Halton me ready to offer safety and -- along with Attridge, Stock operating instructions. The first thing I'm aware of and several others -- is press Metroland West Media reporter Tim Whitnell got behind the wheel of a 40-foot school bus at the First Student is the driver is still the only per ing hard to get word out it is depot Aug. 10. | Riziero Vertolli/Metroland in desperate need of drivers as son on a school bus that has a a new school year approaches. seat-belt. The rows of passen long bus frame. There are two brake and ensure the gear shift caught doing it later. I'm instructed to weave I volunteered to head over to ger benches have no restraints. independent, vertical mirrors er is in Neutral when stopped. I'm told it would take too attached to each side of the cab All buses have a radio for through three pylons set First Student' s main bus depot on Dundas Street last week to long to make sure all kids were and two more side-by-side in communication with dispatch up about 40 feet apart. I go get a glimpse into what it' s like buckled in properly and too front of the cab. I need to adjust ers. About 10 per cent of buses through them forward no have four security cameras in problem. Then Kevin says to to operate a large bus and learn long to help them all get out in each side mirror. stalled throughout the cabin. case of an emergency. There are also myriad toggle do the same in reverse. about the requirements to be I'm also told it is very diffi switches on a panel to the left Each bus can be tracked He gives me a few pointers come a school bus driver... and then I go backwards. He I meet with Peter McGlynn, cult to damage, or knock over, of the steering wheel; they con through GPS as well. I'm a little nervous and excit likes that I'm constantly swiv a regional general manager the more than 30,000-pound trol things like the entry door, emergency lights and fans. ed to drive. I take the metal be eling m y head, looking at the vehicle, that the chassis is de with First Student Canada, and Kevin Bergman, the company' s signed, in large impacts, to There is no air conditioning hemoth, slowly, once around mirrors on each side. absorb and disperse the energy. and it is quite warm in the cab the depot building. Kevin says I back up the bus tightly and area' s safety manager. he' s impressed that I'm using in what I perceive is a reason The next thing I am struck on this humid August day. They outfit me with a yellow Kevin tells me there is no the push and pull strategy with able time. Then Kevin asks me safety vest and we head to the by is the multitude of mirrors parking lot, which, aside from a driver needs to use in order Park with the transmission so the steering wheel and not to repeat weaving in both di dozens of 40-foot and 20-foot to see along and around the you have to use the parking hand-over-hand, though I'm rections -- without any input. by Tim Whitnell Metroland West Media Reporter tries driving a school bus as a lest of skill Forward is easy. I do it again backwards, fairly tightly. He' s impressed. I even surprise my self somewhat. I realize it's not a true test of m y ability as there are no kids in the seats behind us talking or screaming and we aren't on the road with other vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. Still, I didn't hit anything or anyone. Halton Division photo di rector Reg Vertolli, who is on assignment with me, also tries his hand at driving the bus. He takes more time to navigate the pylons, particularly in reverse, but doesn't knock any over. Safety manager Kevin later emailed saying, "I have to say you did well for a first-time driver. I would (have) graded you in the serpentine (weav ing) and the travel around the yard at 85 per cent... In how you performed and the knowl edge you showed me, you would (have) excelled in our skill courses." As for Reg, Kevin said, "I would like to have him come in; he needs work." P IC - A - D E L I ^Weekly Specials: $ Thursday Nights: Domestic Pint & 1 lb of Wings 9 99 Daily special: Large 3 item Pizza- * 9 " Dine In & Pick up only Featuring Best Montreal Smoked Sandwiches All Day Breakfast. Hours: Monday - Saturday 7 am -1 am Closed Sundays. K SUPERSTORE KOFFEE KO RN ER O AKVILLE WWW.KOFFEEKORNEROAKVILLE.COM 670 Fourth Line (9 0 5) 339-1905 NORTH SERVICE RD W. OVER 500 FLAVOURS OAKV|LLE, O N 16M 2(52 M IX AND MATCH DORVAL CROSSING E. 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