Session 4: Turnabout

(Picture/Graphic)

Turnabout• Approach Mirror CheckApproach Mirror Check

– As with loading and unloading procedures, the purpose of this mirror check is to familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of the surrounding traffic situation for the turnabout maneuver.

– The Turnabout is always done backing down a side road on the right hand side. This means that there are 3 directions of traffic to be concerned about; Forward, right side (backing), and behind.

Front

Right Side(Backing)

Rear

Turnabout• Activate the Hazard lightsActivate the Hazard lights

– Activate your Hazard Lights from between 100-300 feet of your desired turnabout starting position.

– By activating your hazard lights you are signaling the surrounding traffic that you are intending to perform a cautionary maneuver. “Back-up” lights do not illuminate until the moment that the gear selector is placed in reverse which won’t be until after you come to a complete stop.

Turnabout• Courtesy “Brake Tap”Courtesy “Brake Tap”

– As you approach the desired starting position, tap the brakes lightly in order to cause your brake lights to briefly come on.

– This step is performed in order to give any vehicles behind your bus a visual “heads up” that you are planning on coming to a stop soon.

Turnabout• Stop just beyond the Stop just beyond the

“Backing” road“Backing” road– Pull just beyond the road

onto which you will back. The rear axle should be slightly beyond parallel with the right edge of the road you will be backing onto.

– Visually check the “Backing” road as you pass by it to familiarize yourself with the dimensions of the road, to identify any potential backing hazards, and to look for any traffic that may be coming down that road.

Turnabout• Secure the BusSecure the Bus

– Apply the “Parking Brake” then shift the gear selector into “Neutral”

– Some drivers tend to skip this step and put the gear selector directly into “Reverse”. Remember that if at all possible, you should use a student helper to visually identify any potential backing hazards. Securing the bus makes for a safe environment for the student to get up and move to the back of the bus if need be.

Turnabout• Keep your right foot on Keep your right foot on

the service brake pedalthe service brake pedal– Even though the bus is

“Secured” maintain foot pressure on the service brake pedal until such time when it becomes necessary to do otherwise.

– This is an extra precaution to make sure that the bus does not inadvertently move.

Turnabout• Set the Patrol / Verbally Set the Patrol / Verbally

establish a “Clear” path.establish a “Clear” path.– Once you have secured

the bus, ask a trusted student to get up and go to the back of the bus to act as your observer. Check with the student verbally to ensure that the way is clear.

– Selecting the proper student can be crucial to the success of your backing maneuver. Choose only students whose judgment can be trusted. If no student is available use extra caution during your backing maneuver.

Turnabout• Un-secure the busUn-secure the bus

– While maintaining pressure on the service brake, shift the gear selector into “Reverse” then release the “Parking Brake.”

– The order of these steps is critical to the safety of your bus, the students, and the surrounding traffic and particularly if you are performing your backing maneuver in hilly or mountainous terrain.

Turnabout• Second verbal “Clear”Second verbal “Clear”

– Immediately after placing the bus in “Reverse” and releasing the “Parking Brake” ask the student helper a second time “Is it clear?”

– Field experience has shown that even though it only takes a short period of time between the two “Clears”, very often cars will have approached the back of your bus from the road that you are intending to back onto in that short amount of time.

Turnabout• Check mirrors / Begin Check mirrors / Begin

backingbacking– Check your mirrors to

ensure that you see no hazards and then ease your foot off of the service brake pedal and begin backing very slowly.

– Do not use the accelerator unless absolutely necessary. In most situations, simply relieving the pressure off of the service brake pedal while maintaining “Brake cover” with your right foot provides adequate motion to safely complete your backing maneuver. Watch the right convex mirror as you back.

Turnabout• Final positionFinal position

– Your final position should be in the center of the lane as if you were driving in it or stopping at the stop sign.

– Distance from the stop sign does not matter as long as the bus is behind any white stop lines, painted crosswalks, or assumed crosswalks. Remember that if a load or unload is done at the turnabout location that proper procedure dictates that you “Load before backing” and “Back before unloading”.

Turnabout• Secure the busSecure the bus

– Once the backing maneuver is complete, set the “Parking Brake” and place the gear selector to “Neutral”.

– Though you might be tempted to continue on with your left turn after stopping, remember that you may need to ask your student helper to return to their seat. Securing the bus provides the student with the safest possible environment in which to transit through the bus and back to their seat.

Turnabout• De-activate the Hazard De-activate the Hazard

lightslights– The whole purpose of the

turnabout is to change your direction of travel. In order to do this you will need to make a left turn back onto the road from which you started.

– You must de-activate your hazard lights in order for any traffic now behind you to be able to see your intended signal to turn left.

Turnabout• Activate your left turn Activate your left turn

signalsignal– Activating your left turn

signal indicates your intention to turn to the surrounding traffic.

– It is a very common mistake to forget to de-activate the hazard lights after the turnabout maneuver. Failure to de-activate the hazard lights can result in many more points unnecessarily lost on the road test.

Turnabout• Mirrors / Traffic CheckMirrors / Traffic Check

– As your intention is to turn left, do a proper “Mirror and Traffic Check” looking all around the bus for any hazards.

– If your turnabout included an unload, be sure to look carefully for students in the “Danger Zone” just as you would during a normal unload. Remember, always “Load before backing and Back before unloading.”

Turnabout• Left TurnLeft Turn

– If need be, pull up to the proper stop location and stop so that you have adequate visibility in order to safely make a left turn. Check traffic in both directions. If the way is clear, make your turn.

– Remember to come to a complete stop. Do not be tempted to “Roll through” the stop even though visibility may seem adequate. Traffic situations can change very quickly and make sure to check BEHIND the mirrors as well!

Turnabout• Common maneuver Common maneuver

mistakes: Widemistakes: Wide– Some drivers tend to wait

too late to begin turning the steering wheel clockwise. The end result is “going wide” or extending the bus too far before turning.

– Making this mistake could cause you to either have the rear wheels leave the road or have the front wheels leave the road as you begin to attempt to “straighten out” the bus. The wheels leaving the road during the maneuver results in an automatic failure of a road test.

Turnabout• Common maneuver Common maneuver

mistakes: Lane Positionmistakes: Lane Position– The ideal finishing position

for the backing maneuver should be properly in the lane as if stopping at a “Stop” sign and far enough back so that if any students had to cross, they would not walk into the road in front of you with an extended crossing gate taken into account.

– The bus should not be significantly across the yellow dividing lines in the center of the road. Nor should it be “off the road” on the shoulder to your right.

Turnabout• Common maneuver Common maneuver

mistakes: not Parallelmistakes: not Parallel– As with “Lane Position”,

your finishing position should be properly in the lane and evenly spaced in between the yellow dividing lines and the white guide line on the right side of the road.

– “Parallel” means that the entire side of the bus should be even with either or both the yellow dividing lines in the center of the road and the white guide line to the right.

Turnabout• Common maneuver Common maneuver

mistakes: Pull-upsmistakes: Pull-ups– A “Pull-up” is a change in

direction made by placing the bus in “Drive” in order to make adjustments during the maneuver.

– Using one pull-up during the backing maneuver is permissible but using two pull-ups constitutes an automatic failure of a road test.