Bus drivers, especially school bus drivers, suck. They are some of the worst, and scariest, drivers when it comes to cyclists.

My solution?

1) Get a mirror

2) Use it, and be very assertive about lane positioning.

In situations where the road width is less than ideal and there's opposite direction traffic approaching, if I see a bus overtaking me I often move to the middle of the lane, and indicate with a backward facing left palm that the bus driver will NOT be passing me.

Using a mirror, this is a routine maneuver. Without one, you're often surprised by the bus...as in the post that started this thread.

I hate getting surprised on the bike, and find that a mirror (the Take a Look), provides greatly enhanced situational awareness.