Feds Push for Greater School Travel Safety

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched “Moving Kids Safely,” a campaign that addresses safety concerns associated with using private buses for sports, activity and other extracurricular trips. In announcing the initiative on Dec. 4, the FMCSA cited a June 2002 crash in which drug use, fatigue and inattention contributed to a bus crash that killed the driver and four teenagers and injured dozens of people traveling to a church camp about 30 miles east of Dallas. The FMCSA fined the bus company for violating federal motor carrier safety regulations and placed it out of service. The FMCSA campaign will focus on proper identification and use of bus companies for extracurricular trips. Some questions to be asked: Does the company have the authority to transport students in interstate commerce? What is the company’s accident history, safety rating and insurance status? Do company drivers possess CDLs with a passenger endorsement and valid medical certificates?