School Buses - General Information

Our full-sized buses come from the manufacturer rated for 77 passengers.  That number is derived from 3 students per seat.  Although the bus will hold that many students, the routing staff makes an attempt to limit ridership to about 60 persons.  

The buses cost between $85,000 and $100,000 each.  The smaller, Special Ed buses actually cost more than a full-sized General Education bus for various reasons.  Many of those buses are equipped with a wheelchair lift.  Also, most have air conditioning installed to help those with breathing impairments or allergies.  Proper maintenance, as noted above is crucial in protecting the investment of our buses.

There are some "extras" that the district chooses as options for our school buses.  A few of those are the exterior roof being painted white.  This helps reflect the heat from the sun, reducing the inside temperature during warm weather.  Extra turn signals are installed on the fenders which add to the safety factor of the bus while in traffic, making it easier for other drivers to see the intentions of our bus drivers.  The General Education buses have two roof hatches (instead of one) for use in case of an emergency.  

The Durham School Services mechanics conduct a comprehensive 90 day preventative maintenance inspection on EACH bus.  Any discrepancies they find will be corrected immediately.  The mechanics work diligently every day to ensure that our buses are safe for transporting students of the district.

In addition to the 90 day inspections, each year all buses are inspected by a Michigan State Police inspector.  This is a complete top-to-bottom inspection of the entire bus.  State Police inspections can take several weeks to complete.  The Investigators go over every system with a "fine-toothed comb" making sure nothing is overlooked.  Once a bus passes inspection a sticker is placed on the center of the windshield.  That sticker has a different shape each year.  You can learn more about how the State police inspect the buses by visiting their web site.

There are some drivers that report before 6:00 AM each morning.  For some, they are getting out of bed at 4:00 AM in order to get to the Transportation Center on time.  They must do a physical inspection of the bus before it can leave the lot.  This is known as a "pre-trip inspection".  Pre-trip inspections are done each morning no matter the weather.  In winter months there are many days that snow and ice must be cleared from the bus, including mirrors before the bus can safely travel the roads.  Unlike your automobile, that warms up as it idles, the bus doesn't really begin to warm until it is driving down the road.  It's a cold start to the morning for your bus driver!

The district runs over 100 routes daily.  This includes the morning pick-up of students and the afternoon take-home.  Some Special Education routes  drive out of the district to Flint, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Birmingham, Waterford, Bloomfield and Lake Orion.  In addition there are "noon runs" that use a various amount of buses each day.  The buses also shuttle students to the vocational schools in Clarkston and Pontiac.  Often there are "site visit shuttles" that transport students to locations throughout the district, such as the Rochester Hills Public Library, the 52-3 District Court, and other educational places of interest within the district.

No.  Our district is currently in the process of transitioning the school bus fleet from Diesel to gasoline powered engines.  Nationwide, other districts are doing the same. The gasoline powered engines operate better in cold weather and require less down-time due to maintenance.  At this time, about 2/3 of our buses run on Diesel fuel.

In the last full school year the buses used over 250,000 gallons of fuel.  That includes both Diesel fuel and unleaded gasoline.

In a typical school year, our drivers log nearly 1.5 MILLION miles, safely transporting students to school and home again in the afternoon.  Drivers must drive buses in all kinds of weather and when conditions are less than perfect.  We have many miles of unpaved roadways in the district that also require much skill from our drivers---especially during winter weather!

RCS uses two-way radio communication to allow the Transportation Center dispatchers to stay in contact with the drivers.  In 2020 each bus was equipped with new, digital radios for such communications.  Repeater towers were strategically located through the district to ensure that there is a strong radio signal no matter where in the district (and outside of the district) the bus travels.

Never!  We all know how dangerous it is when any driver is distracted by a personal device.  Drivers are prohibited from using cellular telephones while operating a bus.  If a driver needs to speak with the Transportation Center by telephone, they must pull safely off the roadway and leave the driver's seat before using their cellular device.  This applies even when there are no students on board the school bus.

Yes, it is OK for drivers to make bus stops using hazard lights.  "Hazard Light Stops" are permitted by the State of Michigan.  However, there is certain criteria that will qualify a bus stop for Hazard Lights instead of the typical overhead, alternating flashing red lights and stop sign that halts traffic.  All hazard light stops must be approved by the Transportation office before implementation.  Once approved, they are written into a driver's route instructions.

Motorists are not required to stop for a school bus making a Hazard Light stop.  There is some public confusion.  Hazard lights are the amber colored lights that drivers normally refer to as "flashers".  The "hazard lights" are mounted in the back of the bus mid-way, near the tail lamps.  In the front of the bus the hazard lights are mounted near the headlamps or on top of the fenders.

Motorists MUST stop for a school bus that has flashing yellow lights at the top of the bus, both front and back.  A driver will activate the alternating flashing yellow lights NO LESS than 200 feet from the bus stop.  Once the bus comes to a complete stop the air brake is applied and the door opened.  The lights change from alternating flashing yellow to alternating flashing RED upon the opening of the door.  This is similar to a traffic signal.  The traffic light will turn yellow, warning drivers that it will soon turn red and they must stop.  Think of the school bus as a moving traffic signal which must be obeyed.

The State of Michigan Motor Vehicle Code pertaining to Hazard Lights stops can be found in sections 2 (e) and 2 (f).  For more information, please take the time to read the law regarding Hazard Light Stops.