Special needs school bus and taxi driver training

The ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations has, for some time, identified bus driver training as an area of need. Several years ago, in response to parent concerns we helped establish disability awareness training for drivers of special needs buses, as well as new ACTION drivers.

Due to us raising this issue again in September with the ACT Education and Training Directorate (ETD), both bus companies who provide special needs school services - Keirs and ACTION – have again booked training sessions for their drivers. Council has called upon ETD to make this training a mandatory requirement for all drivers and assistants who operate these special school transport services.

Several parents are involved in delivering the training

“ACTION drivers have welcomed the training,” says Libby Steeper, a parent who pushed for the training and now helps deliver it. “They appreciate having a better understanding of their passengers, and the new skills they have gained.”

Council is also currently looking to help taxi drivers - who drive some students to school daily - to better understand their passengers. We have drafted a range of information sheets on understanding children with a disability as well as Visual Communication Aides for drivers to have on hand in their vehicles to help them communicate with both disabled students and adult passengers.

November 10, 2015