If the situation doesn't improve, I would talk to the principle at the school.
I'm assuming that you do not have the means to take him to and from school yourself, but have you looked into a private bus service?
Or maybe a non-working family friend?
Read her the "Riot Act". Tell her it will be her job if she keeps it up. Just one more time...
The driver says he yells and won't be seated. Is that accurate?
If so, then it would seem your son's behavior is an issue that needs to be addressed at one level or another.
Aside from talking to the bus driver and the principal (the principal is your "pal") ...uh...you might begin to let your own son know that his own hearing difficulties lead to him speaking loudly in certain environments. My guess is a combination of all three would do the trick.
If this is a 2 parent family, Do you and spouse both work and use this as an excuse for sending this poor child to daycare?
Talk it over with the principal and ask if it is possible to have an older child sit with your son as a peer mentor, kind of like a social behavior tutor. It could be treated as an honor to the kid selected.
My gut reaction is that if other kids are reporting it to the point that the daycare worker takes it seriously rather than brushing it off as "just kids" then there is a serious problem with the driver.
The driver's behavior is obviously disturbing the other kids enough that they are trying to get help.
Does the driver work for the school or a bus company that contracts with the school? I think you need to make a complaint about the issue, especially since the driver has "history".
Even if the bus driver's expectations are unreasonable, it's not safe for anyone on the bus for there to be conflict between the driver and a passenger. The driver needs to be concentrating on driving!
If a discussion/explanation with the bus driver doesn't resolve the issues, then I would look into another form of transportation, for the safety of all involved.
Another possibility would be to ask for a monitor or assistant for your son on the bus, if he's really having problems behaving appropriately. Maybe an older student who's travelling the same route would volunteer to be your son's "buddy" and encourage him in good behavior.
If he is speaking with a loud voice, the driver is right to be concerned. However, yelling at your son is unnecessary and unsafe.
"I was told that the bus driver in question had been reassigned before, and had trouble when he was the driver of the "special-education" bus"
The bus driver is a known problem. Report him.
Does your school district equip the busses with cameras? Perhaps there is a way that you and the school administration could review the tapes?
I have seen disabled, (as well as abled) children get out of control or difficult on the ride home. It's been a long day and the revved up bus kids wind each other up. It may be too much for your son.
Ask to see the video of your son's and the bus drivers behavior. You'll be better able to judge the situation after seeing it for yourself.
Schools, like other bureaucracies, have a particular food chain. I don't know from your post, but if you've been dealing with the principal or the school, you're spinning your wheels.
Bus drivers are not under the school, but the transportation department and the district.
Call the Head of the transportation department and discuss it with him/her.
If that doesn't work, contact the Superintendent of the district.
politely explain if this matter is not handled promptly and to your satisfaction, you will approach the board, perhaps even going further, if necessary.
there is no need to tolerate this moronic behavior. the driver needs to be replaced; perhaps night custodial work will do.
1st. Get in the bus driver hard and fast. Inform him of your sons situation and also of his responsibilities to you, your son, the rest of the kids, etc.
2nd. Personally visit the head of the transportation dept (the bus drivers boss) and inform him of the situation and that your next visit of the day is with the superintendant of the schools (his boss).
3rd. Visit the superintendant and bring him up to speed on whats goin on. Ask for a copy of the districts policy regarding school bus drivers interaction with students and also the policy on handicaped students and special needs. (this is your amunition. If they aredoing something they are not supposed to do or vice-versa you can kill them with their own regulations) Let him know that you want to see this thing straightened out in the easiest way possible but that you also want on the agenda for the next school board meeting and run through it all with the school board again asking them for their advice on how things can be made right for your son and possible any other children that this driver may be taking advantage of. (...after all you really dont want to get a lawyer and seek a legal fix to something that should be being handeled at a lower level...this is a threat to them but dont make it if you arent willing to follow thru with it. the schools have a lawyer on retainer for stuff like this but if you are in the right, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT, and they know it and will respond.
...and be ready to be branded as a troublemaker and wear it with pride because you are doing what needs to be done to insure your sons continuing education and safety.
Personally I would find another method of transportation. You should have been told by the bus driver, bus company, or the school about any incidents.
Your descriptions sounds like it was other students on the bus that told the daycare person who then told you about it.
Also it does not sound like your child could describe to you what took place, only he did not want to ride the bus.
Bus drivers are not exactly positions held by highly skilled trained people, nothing against them, as I personally would not want to have to drive a bus load of kids of any age anywhere.