NHTSA updates school bus training

ATLANTA — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been working on updated training programs for pupil transporters.

The agency has revised its School Bus Driver In-Service Safety Series and plans to make it available on the NHTSA Website beginning this fall, in conjunction with the NAPT conference. The program includes a new module on emergency evacuation in addition to modules on special needs, crossing safety, adverse weather and several other topics.

NHTSA also revised and has begun distributing its Child Passenger Restraint Systems on School Buses National Training. Next year, the agency will begin producing a how-to video on that topic, to be released in 2010.

Terrance Schiavone, southeastern regional administrator for NHTSA, gave details on the new training materials at the Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference in Atlanta earlier this month.