The man pleaded guilty to high range drink driving in Cowra Local Court on Wednesday last week.

David George Stack, 50, of Suttor Street in Canowindra, was on his regular school run when a passenger became concerned the way Mr Stack was handling the bus.

According to the police statement of facts for the case, the bus was veering across to the wrong side of the road, and at other times crossed onto dirt on the side of the road, hitting lane markers.

The police fact sheet said that when he was pulled over by a police patrol car and found to have a PCA level exceeding .26, Stack had asked to continue driving the children home.

The bus left Orange at 3pm on November 7, heading for Canowindra, with seven school children and two female passengers on board.

A female passenger was alarmed by both the speed Mr Stack was driving at, and the way he was driving.

When she went to the front of the bus, the woman noticed that Mr Stack was "more jovial" than he had been on previous bus runs.

The woman got off the bus at Cargo, to raise the alarm, and police were waiting on the road between Cargo and Canowindra for the bus.

Mr Stack was pulled over, with the children still on board, on Lockwood Road, where he was breath tested.

When Stack was pulled over, he had "freely admitted having consumed an amount of alcohol over a period of time", police said.

After being taken back to Canowindra, Mr Stack recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.265, more than 13 times the legal limit for a bus driver.

Mr Stack's legal representative, Luke Clarke said little in court.

Mr Clarke pointed out that Mr Stack who had a previous mid range drink driving offence had not had a drink driving offence in the last five years.

"I'd seek a pre sentence report," Mr Clarke said.

Mr Moon agreed, "having regard for the mid range drink driving matter and the reading."

Stack, now unemployed, said outside the court that he regretted his actions and had apologised to the seven children who had been on the bus.

Mr Stack will be sentenced on February 21 next year.