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Identifying High-Risk Drivers

Many challenges face school district transportation managers when it comes to the current bus driver shortage, but one of the biggest issues is keeping driver quality high. Even when good drivers are hard to find, that can never justify hiring a bad driver..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

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Serving Students With Autism

Autism is a term frequently used to describe a group of neuro-developmental disorders. Students on the autism spectrum generally experience challenges related to communication, social interaction and restrictive or repetitive interests or behaviors. These ..

school_bus_safety, special_needs_student_transportation, students_with_autism, school_bus_transportation

Child Safety Restraint Systems on School Buses

The subject of child safety restraint systems such as seat belts on school buses has been hotly debated for many years. Properly installed child safety restraint systems keep small children restrained in their seats during bus travel. They can come install..

seat_belts, school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation_software, child_restraints, restraint_systems

5 Important Factors When Securing Wheel Chairs

Has your district recently reviewed their policies for dealing with wheelchair-bound students on school buses? Ever since the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1976, schools have been required to make accommodations for children in wheelchairs,..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Who Is Responsible for School Bus Safety?

One of the biggest mistakes we occasionally see people make in regards to bus driving is believing that school bus safety begins and ends on the school bus itself. It's understandable how someone might take a reductive view on the matter since, after all, ..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Training Drivers to Deal With Emergencies

School bus drivers are typically required to complete extensive training before hitting the road. In most districts, this includes instruction for dealing with emergency situations. Deciding what topics should be covered can be a difficult decision because..

route_optimization, school_bus_routhing_software, school_bus_driver, school_bus_bullying, bullying, school_bus_safety, training_drivers, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

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The Fight Against Illegal School Bus Passing

Illegal passing of school buses is a major school bus safety concern. Though passing a stopped school bus is against the law in most areas, traffic codes vary from state to state. Because this poses such a threat to students, many local governments are cra..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, illegal_passing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

How To Fight Germs on Your School Buses

In the years of the coronavirus, RSV, strep and the flu - and with most researchers suggesting these will continue to be a threat in the upcoming years - school bus safety measures now largely revolve around finding ways to prevent spread of the diseases g..

school_bus_management, bus_route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_tips, covid-19, school_bus_driver_shortages, school_bus_cleaning, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

School Bus Safety & Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue has been the cause of many school bus accidents over the years. There are instances of school bus drivers falling asleep behind the wheel resulting in students being injured and in the most unfortunate of circumstances being killed.

school_bus_management, bus_route_optimization, school_bus_safety, driver_fatigue, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortage, School_bus_driver_safety, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, bus_shortages

School Transportation Safety: 5 Crucial Tips for Driver Training

When it comes to providing school bus driver training, the key to success is going beyond the basics. Of course, a bus driver must know how to safely maneuver a bus, but the job of a school bus driver is filled with complexities that must be prepared for. ..

route_optimization, route_management_software, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, driver_training, school_transportation_safety, driver_training_requirements, school_bus_driver_shortage, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Does Your School District Need a Way To Find School Buses?

Student safety is the number one priority for school transportation professionals. With over 55% of US students riding school buses, finding the best way to operate a fleet impacts millions of students across the country. School districts are facing great ..

bus_routing_software, bus_route_optimization, GPS_Tracking, school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_finder, student_ridership, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

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Tips for Transporting Service Animals on School Buses

In recent years, many school districts have experienced an uptick in the amount of requests to transport service animals. In fact, some states now require this service by law. There are many reasons that a student may work with a service animal, usually a ..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, special_needs_student_transportation, service_animals_on_school_buses, state_reporting, re-routing

Should Child Safety Restraint Systems Be Implemented on Your School Buses?

The subject of child safety restraint systems such as seat belts on school buses has been hotly debated for many years. Properly installed child safety restraint systems keep small children restrained in their seats during bus travel. They can come install..

bus_route_optimization, seat_belts, school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_transportation_software, child_restraints, restraint_systems, school_bus_driver_shortage, state_reporting, bus_shortages

The Dangers of Illegal Bus Passing

When it comes to passing school buses, motorists in each state are subject to a different set of laws and regulations. Though most motorists understand the safety risks of illegally passing a bus, it remains a consistent, though dangerous, practice. In fac..

Power_School, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, GPS_Tracking, school_bus_safety, threat_zone, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Why School Bus Monitors are So Important

School buses are truly the country’s largest public transportation systems. In recent years, incidents around the country have forced the important issue of student safety to the forefront. As parents, teachers and administrators advocate for increased sec..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Routing, bus_driver_monitors, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Railroad Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers

Few bus accidents could be more devastating than being hit by a train - and it does happen. While train-related accidents are rare, there have been several in the past decade. This could easily be fatal to everyone on the bus if it happens, which is why it..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_drivers, railroad_safety_tips

COVID Student Safety Starts With School Buses

Is your district still doing everything possible to keep your school buses safe from COVID-19? Even though vaccination rates are rising, and infections are dropping, it's still a threat. Worse, new mutations like the Delta variant are creating new threats,..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, COVID_student_safety

Boosting School Bus Safety With Defensive Driver Training

Well-trained bus drivers are the foundation of school bus safety. It doesn't matter what kinds of buses you drive or the routes you create if you don't have drivers who are always putting passenger safety first in their thinking. That's why it's vital to o..

school_bus_safety, School_bus_driver_trainig, training_school_bus_drivers

School Bus Safety: Optimizing Driver Views

When a bus stops and children are loading or unloading, you'd want to think the driver is in full control of the situation - but they aren't. Buses, by their nature, have massive blind spots which impact the driver's visibility. This is a school bus safety..

school_bus_safety, keeping_students_safe, Student_School_Bus_Safety, school_bus_safety_plans

Disinfecting School Buses: Are There Long Term Effects?

When the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak hit, properly disinfecting school buses became a top priority for school districts. At a minimum, districts stepped up the use of disinfecting chemicals and products like hand sanitizer. Many even upgraded their buses, insta..

school_bus_safety, School_bus_industry, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning, Disinfecting_school_buses

Indiana Works to Improve School Bus Stop Safety

We recently came across a short article from School Transportation News discussing Indiana's plans to expand usage, penalties, and enforcement of stop-arm cameras on their school buses. There's no doubt that illegal passing is one of the biggest threats to..

school_bus_safety, student_bus_transportation, Indiana_school_buses

Montana House Bills for School Bus Safety

How do we protect students from cars passing illegally, while they're entering or exiting the bus? This is probably one of the biggest questions in the field of school bus safety, and one that continues to be studied intently. For many states, the popular ..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_legislation, Montana_school_buses

Texas School Buses May Continue Requiring Masks

Texas recently made headlines for stepping down its COVID-19 mask requirements. Businesses around the lone star state are no longer mandated to enforce mask-wearing on their premises - but they are still allowed to voluntarily require masks, if they choose..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, Student_Transportation, Texas_school_buses

Helping Special Needs Students Adapt to COVID-19 Safety Requirements

Transporting special needs students always has some additional challenges, and that's especially true during the coronavirus pandemic. School bus drivers and transportation directors need to be making concerted efforts to help special needs children mainta..

Student_Safety, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans

Making Social Distancing Work on a School Bus

If your school is maintaining in-person classes during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, your district should be doing everything possible to reduce the chances of disease transmission. This is a major challenge - especially on school buses! As a small en..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, covid-19

National School Bus Safety Week Includes Poster Contest, Public Outreach

During times of crisis, it's more important than ever to reach out to the public and assure them that their schools - and their school transportation systems - are safe. Fortunately, despite the chaos, the American School Bus Council (ASBC) was able to car..

school_bus_safety, National_school_bus_safety_week, school_bus_safety_week

School Districts Try out Lighted Signs on School Buses

School bus safety is one of the foremost concerns for any school transportation program - and there is no shortage of companies trying to sell you upgrades in the name of safety. Sorting through them in terms of cost vs benefit can be difficult, particular..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, Student_Transportation, student_bus_transportation, school_bus_transportation

Keeping Your School Buses Clean And Hygienic During The Coronavirus Outbreak

How has your district updated school bus cleaning policies to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak? Providing transportation to students is a must, even during a pandemic, but school buses create a significant new potential source of infection. Any student - ..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_maintenance, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning

Products That Fight Germs on Your School Buses

In the year of the coronavirus - and with most researchers suggesting it will continue to be a threat in 2021 - school bus safety measures now largely revolve around finding ways to prevent spread of the disease. Most schools are doing this with traditiona..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_tips, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning

Barrier Installation Approved for School Buses

How do you maintain school bus safety, when there's a pandemic going on? Districts around the country are wrestling with how to limit the spread of COVID-19 within their buses, something which is no easy task. One proposal was to install plexiglass barrier..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_tips, school_bus_safety_plans

Safeguarding Students Getting on and off the School Bus

School buses are among the safest forms of transportation ever created, but there are still times during a bus's route that the students may be in danger - and no situation is more dangerous than when students are getting on or off the bus. One of the most..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans, school_bus_tips

Virginia School District Adds Safety Tech to School Buses

If you want a model for how technology can be used to improve school bus safety, you could easily look to Chesapeake Public School District in Chesapeake, VA. As highlighted in a recent School Bus Fleet article, the district has made a nearly unprecedented..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation, school_bus_safety_plans

Does Your School Bus Safety Plan Overlook Critical Dangers?

When was the last time you ran a tornado drill for a school bus? It's a simple question, but in our experience, a lot of districts get uncomfortable when you ask it. Now, if you can answer "recently!" then that's great - but too many districts tend to focu..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_drivers, school_bus_safety_plans

School Bus Routing: Adding More Bus Stops

Schools reopening this fall are almost certainly going to be making significant changes to their buses and routing, in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus. If these changes are going to involve adding new bus stops - such as to prevent too many students f..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Routing, Student_School_Bus_Safety

School Bus Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

For school districts planning on reopening in the fall, the next few weeks will be spent planning thoroughly on how to reduce the risks of disease spread. COVID-19 is still active throughout North America, so children need to be kept as safe as possible.

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans, covid-19, coronavirus

Five Tips for Restarting School Bus Operations Here...

Will your school district be reopening this fall, in the wake of the coronavirus? If so, one of the biggest challenges you're likely to face is the problem of running your school bus transportation system in a way that minimizes the chances of disease tran..

school_bus_safety, Student_School_Bus_Safety, covid-19, restarting_school_bus_operations

CDC Considerations for Student COVID-19 Testing

What do you do if you suspect a student coming to school in the fall has the COVID-19 coronavirus or may have been exposed to it? Districts across America are asking this question. Fortunately, they have some guidance. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans, student_covid-19_testing, covid-19

How to Setup Social Distancing on a School Bus

Are you going to be able to maintain social distancing on your school buses? If not, your entire district will be at risk of COVID-19 outbreaks. Any districts re-opening in the fall must take all possible precautions to maintain school bus safety, and mini..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans, social_distancing

Texas Department of Public Safety Addresses Overcrowded School Buses

Here's a school bus safety violation that shouldn't happen, yet it does with surprising frequency: running buses that are overcrowded. In Texas, for example, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was forced to step in and issue public advisories, due to re..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet, Student_School_Bus_Safety

School Bus Seat Belts: Implementation Strategies

Going into 2020, there are now nine states that openly mandate school bus seat belts within their school districts, and two others offering grants or other incentives. Numerous other states are debating the issue. While not truly decided yet, it seems that..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_legislation, school_bus_seatbelts

school bus safety

Ohio School Bus Safety Act Seeks Fines, Penalties, and Stop Arm Cameras

Without a doubt, one of the most serious threats to school bus safety is the problem of other drivers ignoring the stop arm. Every time a car blows by the stop-arm sign, they endanger students who are getting on and off the bus, with injuries or deaths occ..

school_bus_safety, Ohio_school_buses, Ohio_school_bus_safety

school bus safety

Better School Bus Crash Reporting Procedures Can Make A Difficult Time Much Easier

While school buses are overwhelmingly safe for passengers, accidents do happen. No district or driver likes to think about the possibility of being in an accident, even a non-fatal one. However, when thousands of collisions involving a school bus happen ev..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_crash, school_bus_crash_reporting

school bus seat belts

Cleveland Students Petition for School Bus Seatbelts

At this point, it's become commonplace to hear stories of cities and districts deciding to budget for school bus seat belts - but here's a story with a twist. The city council of Beachwood City, OH, a suburb of Cleveland, recently purchased two new belt-eq..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seatbelts, Cleveland_school_bus_safety

stop-arm camera

Senator Schumer Seeks School Bus Stop Arm Camera Report

Right now, few issues are as contentious in the school bus industry than the topic of school bus stop-arm cameras. The issue of motorists illegally passing stopped buses is undoubtedly a major problem, with millions of violations across the country every s..

school_bus_safety, stop-arm_camera

school bus driver

Tennessee School Bus Driver Uses Phone Behind the Wheel

When a parent allows their child to ride a bus, there's a lot of trust involved. They need to believe that the driver is going to protect the students, and consider school bus safety to be their top priority. Unfortunately, this is not always the case - as..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_drivers, Student_School_Bus_Safety

school bus seatbelts

InterMotive Vehicle Controls Announces Seatbelt Warning System

Usage of school bus seat belts is growing across the country, with six states already mandating their installation, and several others contemplating similar laws. Along with helping to keep children safe during accidents, there is also growing evidence tha..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seatbelts

school bus safety

Improve School Bus Safety By Taking Proactive Measures Against Stop Arm Violators

There are numerous threats to school bus safety any time a bus is on the road, but it's hard to argue against stop arm violators being the biggest threat. Every time a motorist ignores a stop arm, student lives are put at risk. This is not an uncommon occu..

school_bus_safety

school bus stop arm

Four Tips for Stop Arm Camera Success

School districts around the nation are exploring use of stop arm cameras as a way to deter unsafe driving near their buses. However, a stop arm camera by itself won't stop bad drivers. BusBoss has some tips to help ensure the success of your camera initiat..

school_bus_safety, illegal_passing, stop-arm_camera_technology

school bus fleet tires

School Bus Fleet: Proper Tire Choice & Maintenance

Are the tires on your school bus fleet helping or harming your efforts to run a safe, cost-effective bus system? Despite seeming like a relatively minor choice, the kind of tires on your buses can have a lot of impact on both safety and performance. Likewi..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet

school bus safety

National Survey Shares Challenges of School Bus Safety

One difficulty when talking about school transportation management, and school bus safety, is getting a handle on the big picture. Discussions of district transportation systems are often filled with anecdotal evidence, relatively few studies trying to loo..

school_bus_safety

GPS school bus tracking

Five Ways a School Bus Tracking App Can Help in an Emergency

Whenever the news reports on a major incident involving a school bus, it's hard not to think "What if that happened to us?" News of a bus emergency is excellent for reflecting on the district's own training and response policies. Would the bus driver know ..

GPS_Tracking, school_bus_safety

school bus safety

Who Is Responsible for School Bus Safety?

Who is responsible for school bus safety in a district? On the balance, the only rational answer to the question is "everyone." Whenever some sort of safety incident occurs, there can be a lot of finger-pointing - but at the end of the day, protecting chil..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety

PBS Documentary Asks Questions About School Bus Safety

When it comes to school bus safety, there is probably no more divisive issue than the question of whether seat belts should be mandated for school buses. After all, belts have been required in other pedestrian vehicles like cars and pickups for fifty years..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts

school bus safety

NTSB Calls for School Bus Fire Suppression Systems

In December of 2017, a truly horrific school bus accident occurred in Oakland, Iowa. A fire broke out in the engine compartment of a bus, sending dangerous fumes into the bus interior, and ultimately taking the lives of both the driver and a 16-year-old st..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet

School Bus Safety Legislation

School Bus Safety Legislation Considered by Congress

On May 17, 2018, a horrific collision occurred between a school bus and a dump truck on a New Jersey highway. It left two dead, including 10-year-old Miranda Vargas, as well as injuring everyone on the bus as well as the driver of the dump truck. Video foo..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_legislation

school bus safety

School District Settles After Biracial Student Dragged by School Bus

Most of the time, when a bus driver does something that endangers students, it's due to poor judgement. Occasionally, however, it can be malicious - as we saw earlier this year in Farmington, Utah. In a deeply disturbing incident, a 14-year-old biracial ch..

school_bus_safety, student_bus_transportation, Student_School_Bus_Safety

school bus safety

Maine Passes School Bus Stop Arm Camera Bill

On June 17, 2019, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed Senate Bill 166 into law - fully legalizing the use of school bus stop arm cameras across the state. As with similar laws in other states, these cameras can be used to identify and penalize motorists who ..

school_bus_safety, stop-arm_camera_technology

school bus safety

Are School Buses Safe Enough?

Concerns about school bus safety are frequently a matter of intense discussion, particularly in the wake of a notable accident involving a school bus on the road. Everyone talks about wanting to make school buses safer, and understandably enough. Every chi..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety (1)

School Bus Safety: Preventing Onboard Fires

There are many aspects of school bus safety that a district transportation manager must oversee, but one of the most critical is implementing measures to prevent onboard fires. Fires on school buses are more common than people realize. In fact, the DOT est..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety

school bus stops

What's Behind Fatalities at School Bus Stops?

According to School Transportation News, there have been 14 accidents near school bus stops in 2018 - with five of the accidents occurring in November alone! Of those accidents, eight resulted in student fatalities - tying the number of deaths in 2017. In ..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety-4

School Bus Safety: More Than Just Seat Belts

Many school districts looking to improve their school bus safety are starting to turn to seat belts as one potential answer. However, the debate over school bus seat belts is surprisingly complicated. Plus, in any case, retrofitting an entire bus fleet wit..

school_bus_safety

Aging School Buses

Four Reasons to Replace Aging School Buses

School buses are extremely expensive, and represent a huge investment for any school district which has purchased a fleet. It's entirely understandable that a district would want to get the most possible use out of their buses. However, nothing escapes the..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet_optimization, School_Bus_Fleet_Management

school bus safety (3)

NHTSA Video Asks Drivers to Stop for School Buses

There is no doubt that nearby drivers are one of the biggest dangers to students riding school buses. Every year, cars ignoring bus safety lights and stop arms endanger, injure, or even kill student riders. This is a problem that should be preventable, if ..

school_bus_safety

school bus trespassing

Dealing With School Bus Trespassing

Sometimes it seems like people do things that we shouldn't need to say are completely inappropriate...like trespassing on school buses. Unfortunately, it happens. In fact, in recent months there have been several high-profile cases of unauthorized individu..

school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Trespassing

school bus video

West Virginia Requires Supervision at School Bus Stops

Various states are always trying new experiments in how to improve school bus safety, but a recent initiative in West Virginia has been raising eyebrows. According to their new Policy 4336 (PDF), all children in grades K-3 must be "supervised" at bus stops..

school_bus_safety

School Bus Health and ROI

Can New Diesel Engines Improve School Bus Health and ROI?

It wasn't long ago that "diesel" was a dirty word when talking about fuels. However, diesel has come a long way since then. Modern diesel engines, backed by technologies to clean the fuel and prevent harmful emissions, are making a major comeback in many a..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety

school bus safety-3

School Bus Safety: Are Lights Enough?

Recently, we came across an interesting School Bus Fleet article about a petition proposing a change to school bus lighting systems that, according to the petitioner, would improve school bus safety. It's far from the first time such an idea was proposed. ..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety

Danger Zones-1

Avoiding Disaster in the School Bus Danger Zone

One of the cornerstones of a proper school bus safety training program is an emphasis on the "Danger Zone." That is, the area immediately surrounding the school bus where children could be in danger of being hit by other cars - or the bus itself - and are ..

school_bus_safety

Danger Zones

School Bus Loading and Unloading: Improving Safety In The Danger Zone

Few aspects of school bus loading and unloading are more dangerous than the appropriately-named “danger zone.” The danger zone includes areas near the bus where a student cannot be directly seen by the bus driver, and where incidents involving other vehicl..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety

School Bus Safety: Making Loading and Unloading Safer

It’s generally agreed that loading and unloading are the most dangerous times for a child riding a school bus. In fact, the loading and unloading area is even occasionally referred to “the danger zone” because of how many problems could potentially occur. ..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety(2).jpg

School Bus Safety News: California May Delay Child Reminder Alarms

One morning in 2015 a nonverbal, autistic high school student named Paul Lee was left behind on his Whittier, CA, school bus. Eight hours later, in temperatures approaching 100 degrees, he was dead – not discovered until it was time for the bus’s afternoon..

school_bus_safety

shutterstock_673567021-1.jpg

New York May Levy Steeper Stop-Arm Fines - But Is That The Right Approach?

When drivers endanger school bus riders thousands of times every day by ignoring stop-arm signals, it’s clearly a problem that needs solving. But how? One of the more common solutions being adopted is the use of stop-arm cameras, which work in roughly the ..

school_bus_safety, Student_School_Bus_Safety, Stop-Arm_Fines

School Bus Safety(1).jpg

Fixing Holes in School Bus Safety

Staying on top of school bus safety is a never-ending challenge for any district transportation coordinator. There are plenty of ways that a school bus and its routes can be made safer, and never quite enough time to address them all. Undoubtedly, any bus ..

school_bus_safety

school bus safety-2.jpg

Intelligent School Bus Seating - The Future Of School Bus Safety?

In a perfect world, cost wouldn't be an issue when it comes to school bus safety. School buses would be outfitted with the latest in safety features to ensure the highest possible rates of safety and accident survivability. Unfortunately, that’s not the re..

school_bus_safety

School Bus Safety-1.jpg

School Bus Safety: Solving the Stranded-Student Problem

If you follow school bus safety news at all, it’s hard to avoid headlines about students being accidentally left behind on buses. It happens several times a year, at a minimum, and always causes concern. Sometimes the police are involved. Sometimes, career..

school_bus_safety

School Bus Safety (2)-1.jpg

School Bus Safety: 5 Important Factors When Securing Wheel Chairs

Has your district recently reviewed their policies for dealing with wheelchair-bound students on school buses? Ever since the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1976, schools have been required to make accommodations for children in wheelchairs,..

school_bus_safety

New Device Could Detect Students Left on School Buses

It seems like a problem which should be preventable, yet it still happens with some regularity: children being forgotten and left behind on school buses. Proper school bus safety procedures mandate the driver always check for overlooked riders, but mistake..

school_bus_safety

School Bus Safety: Identifying High-Risk Drivers

Many challenges face school district transportation managers when it comes to the current bus driver shortage, but one of the biggest issues is keeping driver quality high. Even when good drivers are hard to find, that can never justify hiring a bad driver..

school_bus_safety

Are Drivers Solely Responsible for School Bus Safety?

One of the biggest mistakes we occasionally see people make in regards to bus driving is believing that school bus safety begins and ends on the school bus itself. It's understandable how someone might take a reductive view on the matter since, after all, ..

school_bus_safety

shutterstock_121510021.jpg

School Bus Seat Belts: How Costs Factor Into the Debate

The debate over the installation of seatbelts in school buses isn’t likely to end soon. Many states now require, or have introduced legislation to require, seatbelts on vehicles that transport students. While it’s easy to assume that installing seatbelts w..

seat_belts, school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts

shutterstock_276755759.jpg

South Carolina District Gets Tough on School Bus Riders

A Policy Overhaul Keeping students safe from accidents and violent behavior in the classroom is naturally a top priority for school districts across the country. Student safety is just as important during the trip to and from school, where small distractio..

school_bus_safety, South_Carolina_school_buses, school_bus_policies, school_bus_riders

shutterstock_202711255-1.jpg

Nebraska Legislator Tries for School Bus Seat Belts

Though national safety groups, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are now advocating for the installation of seatbelts on buses, most states do not require this feature. Nebraska State Senator Robert Hilkemann would like to add h..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts, Nebraska_school_buses

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School Bus Safety: Safeguarding Students That Use Wheelchairs

Ensuring the safety of students that use wheelchairs can be a challenge. School bus safety has come a long way in the last several years. Specific regulations now include safety provisions for all students, regardless of their ability.

Student_Safety, school_bus_safety, students_with_disabilities

National Safety Council Joins the Appeal for School Bus Seat Belts

In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced its endorsement of seat belts on school buses. The National Safety Council (NSC) now shares this view and has made its endorsement of seat belts on school buses public.

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts, National_Safety_Council

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Testing Lap-Shoulder Belts for Iowa Student Transportation

It's one of the most common pieces of common knowledge regarding school bus safety: Buses don't need seat belts because they're already so safe that belts simply aren't necessary, so there's no point installing them. But is that about to change?

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts, Iowa_student_transportation

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Students With Disabilities: Improving School Bus Fire Safety

Millions of students ride school buses each day, and they are considered to be one of the safest forms of transportation. Unfortunately, emergencies do happen and it’s important for drivers to be prepared, especially when they transport students with disab..

school_bus_safety, students_with_disabilities, school_bus_fire_safety

School Bus Safety: Illegal Passing Exceeds 30K in New York

Illegal passing is an enormous school bus safety concern around the country. One recent New York study shed some light on the problem and just how vast it’s become. According to the report, tens of thousands of vehicles pass stopped buses each and every da..

Student_Safety, school_bus_safety, illegal_passing, New_York_school_buses

Northeast Ohio Hosts Safety-in Service School Bus Program

Every year, school buses across Ohio transport more than a million students to and from school. School bus safety is a top concern and a recent training hosted by Austintown schools focused on ways that drivers and administrators can keep students safe.

student_tracking, school_bus_safety, student_ridership, driver_training, Ohio_school_buses

New Jersey to Require Motion Sensors on School Buses

Earlier this year, the New Jersey Governor signed a law that requires all new school buses to be equipped with motion sensors. These sensors will detect people or objects that are in the blind spots in front of or behind the bus. Legislators and safety exp..

student_tracking, routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet, motion_sensors_on_school_buses

California School Bus Idling Rules and Regulations

Student safety is a major concern across the country, and in California, specific measures have been taken to improve air quality so that all residents breathe easier. Student bus transportation programs are required to do their part by following certain r..

Student_Safety, school_bus_safety, California_student_bus_transportation, school_bus_idling_rules

Best Practices for Loading and Unloading School Buses

The laws surrounding the operation of school buses vary from state to state and even district to district, but by utilizing specific best practices, drivers are helping to keep students safe when they enter and exit the bus. Loading and Unloading School Bu..

bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, unloading_school_buses, loading_school_buses

Driver Training Tips: Curbing Violence on School Buses

School-related violence is on the rise in the United States and this has parents and school district officials worried about the safety of students on buses. Bus drivers work in tight spaces and must constantly multitask. This stressful environment can be ..

school_bus_safety, bus_driver_training, school_bus_violence, bus_monitors

Eight-Way Light System on Wisconsin School Buses

This fall, Wisconsin implemented an eight-way light system for school buses throughout the state. This measure aims to increase the safety of students who rely on school bus transportation. A law that went into effect on August 16 now requires the eight-li..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation_software, school_bus_transportation, Wisconsin_school_buses

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Indiana School Buses: Annual School Bus Safety Inspections

Indiana recently began conducting its standard yearly school bus safety inspections on all the vehicles across the state, and the good news is that there were very few problems. According to police conducting the inspections, most of the problems found wer..

school_bus_safety, Indiana_school_buses, school_bus_inspections, school_bus_safety_inspection, fleet_gps_tracking

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Illegal Passing of School Buses: 2015 Florida Survey Results

Survey results released by the Florida Department of Education indicate that illegal passing of school buses is a continued problem. Nearly 10,000 drivers across the state participated in the survey, which documented the number and type of illegal incident..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_tracking_software, illegal_passing, illegal_passing_of_school_buses

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FMCSA Proposal: Screening School Bus Drivers for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious health condition that affects millions of Americans. Those that suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience pauses in breathing throughout the night, which can lead to daytime sleepiness, lack of concentration, decreased m..

bus_driver, school_bus_safety, bus_driver_training, sleep_apnea_screening

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FMCSA Announces Proposed Rule on School Bus Driver Training

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed regulations for entry-level commercial truck and bus drivers to complete certain training prerequisites before obtaining their commercial driver's license (CDL).

school_bus_safety, school_bus_tracking_software, driver_training_requirements, transport_management_software, school_bus_driver_training

Florida District School Bus Drivers on Bullying

Bullying is a major concern across the country, and in Central Florida, a special two-day training session provided special tools for bus drivers facing this issue. Bullying on the Bus Close to 1,500 employees of the Orange County School District in Florid..

school_bus_bullying, school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation_software, school_bus_driver_training

Indiana Gets a Grant for Stop-Arm Cameras

Indiana Gets a Grant for Stop-Arm Cameras

Indiana is now leading the way in the push to increase school bus safety with stop-arm cameras. The East Noble School Corporation (ENSC) in Indiana has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the state's Department of Homeland Security specifically for the purpose..

school_bus_safety, illegal_passing, stop-arm_camera_technology

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California Bill to Mandate the Use of Child Check Technology

Introduced by California State Senator Tony Mendoza, the Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law was developed after the death of a 19-year-old special needs student who was left on a school bus during a dangerously hot day. This new school bus safety law, schedule..

school_bus_safety, child_check_technology, California_student_bus_transportation

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School Bus Transportation: Serving Students With Autism

Autism is a term frequently used to describe a group of neuro-developmental disorders. Students on the autism spectrum generally experience challenges related to communication, social interaction and restrictive or repetitive interests or behaviors. These ..

school_bus_safety, special_needs_student_transportation, students_with_autism, school_bus_transportation

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Transporting Service Animals on School Buses

In recent years, many school districts have experienced an uptick in the amount of requests to transport service animals. In fact, some states now require this service by law. There are many reasons that a student may work with a service animal, usually a ..

school_bus_safety, special_needs_student_transportation, service_animals_on_school_buses

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School Bus Safety in Florida: Child Restraint Requirements

State laws regarding school transportation and required school bus safety procedures vary vastly from state to state. Until just last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommended against the use of seatbelts on school buses...

school_bus_safety, school_bus_seat_belts, Florida_school_buses

Child Safety Restraint Systems on School Buses: When And Why

The subject of child safety restraint systems such as seat belts on school buses has been hotly debated for many years. Properly installed child safety restraint systems keep small children restrained in their seats during bus travel. They can come install..

seat_belts, school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation_software, child_restraints, restraint_systems

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School Bus Safety and Economy: 5 Fleet Optimization Tips You Can Use

When school budgets are tight, many districts turn to their transportation departments to cut costs. There are many ways to save money, when it comes to school bus fleets. Switching to alternative fuels, minimizing field trip transportation and contracting..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet_optimization, school_bus_fleet

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Are School Buses Really the Safest Way to Get to School?

It’s understandable that parents and school district staff would wonder about the safety of school buses. After all, school buses carry their most precious cargo. Though accidents do happen, school buses remain the safest way to transport students to and f..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, keeping_students_safe

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Fleet Maintenance: How to Keep Your School Bus Tires Roadworthy

Each day, school buses transport students around North America to and from school, special programs, field trips and sporting events. Parents and administrators rely on transportation departments to keep students safe, and tire care should be part of any e..

school_bus_safety, fleet_maintenance, tire_safety

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School Bus Safety: The Fight Against Illegal Passing

Illegal passing of school buses is a major school bus safety concern. Though passing a stopped school bus is against the law in most areas, traffic codes vary from state to state. Because this poses such a threat to students, many local governments are cra..

school_bus_safety, illegal_passing

School Transportation Safety: 5 Critical Tips for Driver Training

When it comes to providing school bus driver training, the key to success is going beyond the basics. Of course, a bus driver must know how to safely maneuver a bus, but the job of a school bus driver is filled with complexities that must be prepared for. ..

school_bus_safety, driver_training, school_transportation_safety

School Bus Safety: Training Drivers to Deal With Emergencies

School bus drivers are typically required to complete extensive training before hitting the road. In most districts, this includes instruction for dealing with emergency situations. Deciding what topics should be covered can be a difficult decision because..

school_bus_driver, school_bus_bullying, bullying, school_bus_safety, training_drivers

Is Stop-Arm Camera Technology Making School Bus Transportation Safer?

Illegal passing of school buses is a huge safety concern for school bus transportation officials. In a 2013 report for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, during a single-day count, school bus drivers documented over 3,000 vehicles illegal..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation_software, illegal_passing, stop-arm_camera_technology

Bus Driver Monitors on the Rise: Why They're Important

School buses are truly the country’s largest public transportation systems. In recent years, incidents around the country have forced the important issue of student safety to the forefront. As parents, teachers and administrators advocate for increased sec..

school_bus_driver, school_bus_safety, bus_driver_monitors

School Bus Safety: The Hot Debate Over Seat Belts Wages On

School bus seat belt laws exist in six states; however, some argue that bus seat belts are unnecessary, and even potentially dangerous. It’s a hot topic with parents and school administrators, and this school bus safety issue is certainly worth the continu..

school_bus_routing_software, seat_belts, school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet

Bad Weather Closings and Delays: Considerations for Pupil Transportation

School districts and their transportation departments are often required to make tough calls to ensure student safety. One of the many challenges that administrators face is inclement weather, no matter the time of the year. Depending on where in North Ame..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, transportation_management, pupil_transportation_planning

School Bus Safety Innovations: The Ins and Outs of Electronic Stability Control

Introduced in the 1990s, electronic stability control is a computerized technology that improves the stability of a vehicle by detecting loss of traction, or skidding. Electronic stability control is now available on some school buses, and many districts a..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, school_bus_fleet, electronic_stability_control

School Bus Maintenance Winter Challenges

School buses are often exposed to extreme conditions, and the winter months can be particularly hard on your fleet. The addition of ice, snow and chilly weather to an already strained bus can lead to tire slippage, engine trouble and rust. Winter weather c..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_maintenance, school_bus_fleet

Does Your School District Need a School Bus Finder?

Student safety is the number one priority for school transportation professionals. With over 55% of US students riding school buses, finding the best way to operate a fleet impacts millions of students across the country. School districts are facing great ..

GPS_Tracking, school_bus_safety, school_bus_finder, student_ridership

School Bus Safety Issues You Need to Watch for 2016

Each day, over twenty three million students begin their day with a ride on a school bus. For school transportation experts, student and driver safety is a top priority. Each year, the National Association for Pupil Transportation organizes the National Sc..

GPS_Tracking, school_bus_safety, school_bus_gps_tracking

Driver Communication Issues: From Distracted Driving to Poor Communication Systems

According to a recent survey commissioned by the American School Bus Council, six in ten parents are concerned about having their children ride on school buses. While the reasons behind their worries ranged from accidents to bullying, unsafe drivers and la..

school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_driver, school_bus_safety, Distracted_Drivers, Drivers

Safety First! The Real Issue of Illegal Passing Rears its Head

When it comes to passing school buses, motorists in each state are subject to a different set of laws and regulations. Though most motorists understand the safety risks of illegally passing a bus, it remains a consistent, though dangerous, practice. In fac..

school_bus_safety, threat_zone

Does Your School Bus Safety Plan Prepare You For An Accident?

Throughout the many years BusBoss has been bringing school districts transportation management software, we have heard numerous stories about school bus accidents, and these accidents are deeply troubling to us.

student_gps_tracking, school_bus_safety, accidents

Transparency In Transportation: Are Your District’s Bus Routes Safe?

Many parents are shocked when they discover their school district does not use up-to-date fleet management techniques for creating school bus routes. Parents assume their children board the same bus every day, but this is sometimes not true when districts ..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, Student_Safety, Safety, school_bus_safety

School Bus Safety: Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue has been the cause of many school bus accidents over the years. There are instances of school bus drivers falling asleep behind the wheel resulting in students being injured and in the most unfortunate of circumstances being killed.

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, driver_fatigue

School Bus Safety: Seat Belts

Each year school buses transport approximately 24 million students to and from school, covering more than 4 billion miles. There has been much debate over whether seat belts should be required on school buses. At first thought, the answer seems to be an ob..

school_bus_management, seat_belts, school_bus_safety

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