VEHICLE TRAINING

	LESSON PLAN		INSTRUCTOR NOTES
V. Turning How is making a turn in a school bus different from making a turn in a passenger car? (You have to allow enough room for both the front and the back wheels to complete the turn.) In a passenger car ,it is fairly simple to make a turn without hitting anything In fact, most of us can get in a variety of vehicles (sedans, station wagons, pickup trucks) and make turns without too much trouble But it is not as easy to make a turn in a school bus And different buses turn very differently A 64-passenger conventional bus Is 35 feet long Has a wheel base of 21 feet Has a turning radius of about 58 feet A 78-passenger transit-style bus Is 37 feet long Has a wheel base of 18 feet Has a turning radius of about 36 feet These 2 buses are going to turn very differently For instance, buses with a longer wheel base start to turn later than those with a shorter wheel base So we have to practice and be experienced with each kind of bus we drive Remember that the most critical part of a turn is the set up We need to start preparing for the turn 1-1/2 blocks before the turn So let’s talk about how to set up and make turns In a perfect right turn The entire bus clears the curb at the corner The bus stays as nearly as possible in its own lane of traffic The first question we want to ask ourselves before making a turn is Can I make it? If you don’t think you can make it, don’t try And if you get into the turn and decide you can’t make it, stop Let’s assume we decide we can make it What do we have to think about when we are setting up a right turn? Where is my bus now in relation to the parallel curb? Where are my rear wheels? What lane am I going into? What kind of street am I turning into? How much traffic is there on both streets? How much left tail swing will I have? What is my visibility to make this turn? Should I stop before the turn and, if so, where? Where should my hands be on the steering wheel while turning? How far do I have to angle out when leaving the curb? Where should I begin the turn? How fast should I be going when making the turn? How will I straighten out after the turn?) Now let’s talk about the correct way to make a right turn Move into the far right-hand lane Turn on your turn signal Check all mirrors for traffic surrounding the bus Slow to 10 mph or less Put your hands in the correct turning position Check that you are 4 feet from the curb or parked cars Keep your wheels straight Check all mirrors for pedestrians and other vehicles before starting your turn When you can see straight down the curb line of the lane you are turning into, turn your steering wheel into the full-lock position As you begin to turn, check your left side mirror for tail swing Check tail swing again in the middle of the turn Make adjustments (e.g., straighten the wheel, slow down) Stop if you are about to come into contact with a problem object Check right side mirrors and complete your turn keeping the full-lock position Straighten the front wheels Check all mirrors after you complete your turn Any questions about making a right turn? In a perfect left turn The bus stays as nearly as possible in its own lane of traffic What do we have to think about when we setting up a left turn? Where am I going? Where is my bus in relation to the median and to traffic? Am I parallel to the median? What lane am I turning in to? Where should I stop before the turn? Where should I begin the turn in relation to oncoming traffic? What should the speed of the bus be when making the turn? How should I straighten out after the turn? Now let’s talk about the correct way to make a left turn Turn on your turn signal Move to the far-left lane If there are two turning lanes, use the right lane of the two Check all mirrors for traffic surrounding the bus Slow to 10 mph or less Put your hands in the correct turning position Keep your wheels straight Bring the front of the bus to the center of the intersection before you start the turn Don’t move into the intersection until traffic in front of you has completed the turn Check all mirrors for pedestrians and other vehicles before starting your turn Watch for problem objects As you begin to turn, check your right side mirror for tail swing Check tail swing again in the middle of the turn Make adjustments (e.g., straighten the wheel, slow down) Stop if you are about to come into contact with a problem object Complete your turn and check mirrors again Are there any questions about making a left turn?			V.E. Display Slide #2 V.I. Display Slide #3 V.M. Write on flipchart V.N. Distribute Handout #3 V.P. Display Slide #4 V.R. Continue with Handout #3

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

V.A. Things that affect turning are: The size of the tires The speed you are going The tail swing Visibility The width of the street versus the size of the vehicle. V.E.1.b. The wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear tires. The shorter the wheelbase, the tighter the turning radius. V.M. Lead the discussion so that the information is provided in sequential steps, e.g., ask the participants, “What do you have to think about first?” V.N. Distribute Handout #3, Making Turns. Have participants follow along as you review the first side. V.N.5. Review the way hands should be positioned on the steering wheel during a turn. V.N.12.a. A problem object is the object you need to turn around. It could be fixed (curb, pole, sign, fire hydrant, vehicle, structure) or moveable (pedestrian, animal, vehicle, bicyclist). V.Q. Lead the discussion so that the information is provided in sequential steps, e.g., ask the participants, “What do you have to think about first?” V.R. Have participants follow along as you review the second side of Handout #3, Making Turns. V.R.10. A bus can have up to a three-foot tail swing. You need to check your mirrors for objects that might be in or moving into the tail swing area. Some transit-style buses have a slightly greater tail swing than conventional buses.