Why you’re seeing Atlanta school buses on the streets this week
School for most Atlanta-area students hasn’t started yet, but school bus drivers are already on the road.
On Tuesday, Atlanta Public Schools bus drivers will follow their actual bus routes in the morning beginning at 6 a.m. and again in the afternoon. In preparation for the district’s first day of school on Aug. 4, APS drivers will make stops, drop bus arms and open bus doors.
Gwinnett County students and parents will start noticing the district’s school buses in their neighborhoods starting Tuesday. Gwinnett bus drivers will drive their assigned routes during actual drive times in the mornings and afternoons, beginning Thursday.
Fulton County school bus drivers will meet starting Aug. 4 for training sessions, bus readiness checks and test runs of their bus routes.
As a reminder, here's what drivers should do if they encounter a stopped school bus with flashing red or yellow lights:
- Two-lane roadway: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Four-lane roadway without a median separation: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation: Only traffic following the bus must stop.
