Beware of School Bus #622 in St. Mary's County

[PsyOps]

The bus did not have any kids on it. Was just starting it’s next run after dropping off Spring Ridge Middle School students.

I guess your kids don't ride this bus

[Momto1]

I did not report it - did not catch the bus owner’s name on the side of the bus. What would that actually accomplish anyway? Isn’t public shaming on this forum much better?

It’s just a lazy way of handling it in hopes someone else will take care of it for you.

[3CATSAILOR]

If your kid rides this bus, please inform your child not to use this driver as an example of how to drive.

*Last Friday morning, after leaving Spring Ridge Middle School, I witnessed this bus being a real Richard, first exceeding the speed limit going north on Rt 235.

*This bus then got into the middle lane after going through the gate 2 intersection, trying to pass slower moving traffic in the right lane, exceeding the speed limit while doing so. After not being successful in passing upon reaching the red light at gate 1, it fell back behind slower moving traffic into the right travel lane again.

*When the light turns green, Bus #622 proceeds through the Gate 1 intersection, then passes slow moving traffic by taking to the RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE only to reach the red light at Expediton Drive like everyone else, merging back into the right travel lane, ahead of slower moving traffic it just passed.

*Once this light turns green, Bus #622 proceeds through the intersection about 500-1000 feet and activates it's red lights to pick up a child, stopping all traffic it just passed using the RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE illegally!

Bus #622 saved a total of about 14 seconds with this Richard move...

I wish I had a camera similar to those that school busses use to capture traffic violations. I expect these type of moves from commuters, but NOT from bus drivers transporting our kids to school.

BUS #622 - RICHARD!!

As always, if you or anyone else observes dangerous driving by a bus driver or anyone else, you can call 301-475-8008 for the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office or 301-475-8955 for the MSP. If you believe the action the bus is taking could be "life threatening", please call 911. Please give your location, direction of travel of the violator and the cross street where the driver is. 911 potentially life threatening calls are simulcast out to both the SMCSO and the MSP. Jeff Thompson is the Director in charge of the Transportation at the Board of Education. I don't know what their number is. But, I am sure you can look it up. I saw a bus driver texting while driving the bus some time ago. He longer works for the Board of Education.

[RoseRed]

It’s just a lazy way of handling it in hopes someone else will take care of it for you.

Oh snap...

[Grumpy]

Oh snap...

Nice first post, right??

[RoseRed]

Nice first post, right??

Yes.

[awpitt]

TBD has been really quiet. Wonder if they realized that they need to call it in...

[PrchJrkr]

TBD has been really quiet. Wonder if they realized that they need to call it in...

He's probably working. Not everyone can post while on the timeclock.

[TPD]

This was not an offense that needed to be reported IMO - not life threatening. My point was that if your kid rides this bus then you need to be aware. Does the driver make these type of moves with kids on the bus? I don’t know. What I do know is what I observed when the bus was absent of kids. If I reported every traffic infraction I observed I would get nothing else done. If I reported every school bus I observe speeding, every parent would be taking their kids to school because we would not have any drivers left.

Unless the law has changed since I was a substitute bus driver 15-20 years, did you know that in no circumstance should a bus with kids on it exceed 45mph? There has only been one school bus driver that I have known in all my years of driving that observed this law to the exact speed - Robert Raley God bless him! The next time you are behind a school bus, observe the speed....then report it if you think it will help you sleep at night.

[littlelady (Premo)]

This was not an offense that needed to be reported IMO - not life threatening. My point was that if your kid rides this bus then you need to be aware. Does the driver make these type of moves with kids on the bus? I don’t know. What I do know is what I observed when the bus was absent of kids. If I reported every traffic infraction I observed I would get nothing else done. If I reported every school bus I observe speeding, every parent would be taking their kids to school because we would not have any drivers left.

Unless the law has changed since I was a substitute bus driver 15-20 years, did you know that in no circumstance should a bus with kids on it exceed 45mph? There has only been one school bus driver that I have known in all my years of driving that observed this law to the exact speed - Robert Raley God bless him! The next time you are behind a school bus, observe the speed....then report it if you think it will help you sleep at night.

Good answer! Sometimes, people just don’t have enough to do to fill up their day, so they go after someone for no reason, whatsoever. Again, this forum is great for letting people know what goes on in their community. You did the right thing.