What is the driver's role in addressing bullying on the bus?

School bus drivers are often the first to observe bullying because the bus is a relatively unsupervised environment. Drivers should recognize bullying behavior — verbal harassment, exclusion, name-calling, physical threats, hazing — and address it. Verbal intervention from the driver ('that's enough, sit down') is often sufficient for minor incidents. Persistent or serious bullying should be reported in writing to the school. Drivers should not let bullying continue in their presence, both because it harms the targeted student and because allowing it sets a tone that bullying is acceptable. Many states have specific anti-bullying training requirements for school bus drivers.