As part of their training, new bus drivers in the Marana Unified School District are given 20 seconds to walk from a seated and buckled position to the emergency exit at the back of a bus and slide out.
The foot exercise is part of an Arizona Department of Public Safety Physical Performance Test new school-bus drivers must pass in order to drive a school bus in the state.
In addition to demonstrating the required physical standards, Marana's seven new drivers will spend a minimum of 40 hours in the classroom and 20 hours behind the wheel of a district bus.
"It's a challenge," new bus driver Natasha Nichelson said about the training. "I'm surprised I know so much in such a short time."
New drivers spend about three weeks fulfilling training requirements. At the end of the process, they take a test to earn their commercial driver's license, or CDL.
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A CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements is required of all bus drivers.
Last week, the 34-year-old Nichelson was preparing for the CDL skills test — which involves parallel parking, backing up into a parking spot and other maneuvers.
"It's all about your mirrors," trainer Manon Keepers said as she watched Nichelson parallel park a 40-foot-long bus in an empty district parking lot. "That's their lifeline."
Keepers started driving buses for the Marana district in 1985 and began training other drivers 11 years ago.
"I don't think they realize the classroom (training) and the intensity of what they go through," Keepers said of the new hires before they start to train.
While in the classroom, new drivers learn what is required of school bus drivers, are certified in CPR and first aid, and learn about student management and district procedures.
Fingerprinting, a physical exam and drug test also are required of drivers.
On the road, drivers learn passenger loading and unloading, railroad crossing procedures and other driving techniques while driving across district boundaries, on freeways, through Downtown and up mountain roads.
During training, new drivers are paid minimum wage. After district orientation in August, the drivers are paid $10.22 hourly.
Before Nichelson starts driving buses full time, she will continue to work as a server at a restaurant.
As a server, Nichelson does not have benefits, and she works weekends and holidays.
"In a restaurant, if you want to make money, you don't have weekends off," she said.
Bus drivers in the district are eligible for benefits and work 40-hour weeks for nine months of the year.
Nichelson said working as a bus driver will allow her to spend more time with her four children.
Nichelson's priority as a driver is the safety of her passengers.
Rosie Flood, a field operations manager, said the training new drivers receive is comprehensive, but there are a few things they can't be taught.
"You can't teach them common sense, good judgment and to take pride in their job," she said.
Don Powers, the district's transportation director, knows what he wants in an employee.
"They have to like kids," Powers said. "They have to be flexible. They have to have the ability to not get upset. They have to be able to maintain their cool."
The district has about 95 route drivers and 15 substitute drivers.
Marana's bus fleet includes 69 large route buses — which can hold 72 elementary school-age passengers — 26 buses for special-needs students and three small vans.
Together, drivers in the district drive more than 12,000 miles every school day. The district encompasses 550 square miles.
"It's a lot of responsibility. You got 64 lives behind you," Keepers said. "I hope they stay and I hope they enjoy what they do as much as I do."
