There are 500,000 ICE school buses in the United States that need to be replaced. Currently there are 33,000 ICE and electric school buses produced each year. At the current production rate, it will take a minimum of 15 years to turn over the school bus fleet to electric.
Bus drivers are the primary caretakers of children during their commute and thus bear responsibility for their safety. By prioritizing proper operating procedures, maintenance checks, and additional precautions, drivers can help avoid the loss of precious young lives under their care.
FMCSA proposes to amend certain Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to ensure the safe introduction of automated driving systems (ADS)-equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) onto the nation’s roadways. The proposed changes to the CMV operations, inspection, repair, and maintenance regulations prioritize safety and security, promote innovation, foster a consistent regulatory approach to ADS-equipped CMVs, and recognize the difference between human operators and ADS.
How can school transportation professionals make stronger and healthier connections with the student passengers aboard their buses? School Bus Fleet seeks your insights.
One could easily catch the themes NAPT wanted to capture for its members, from professional growth and leadership to battling driver shortages to adapting to new school transportation technologies.
One concern that is not being addressed is that we are putting all our efforts towards electricity, and having a singular power system could leave us with no backups or alternatives in the future.
Sharon Orr writes that it's more important than ever to master risk management in school transportation, noting "it's better to not have bus transportation than to have buses that are poorly maintained and driven by unsafe operators."