Articles/News with Florida tag

Displaying 1  -  20  of  36
Mentoring program trains students to be technicians
May 16, 2013
Vocational school students who are chosen for the program work part-time in Orange County (Fla.) Public Schools' bus maintenance facilities, learning from experts and getting hands-on experience.
District’s shop foreman develops fleet management program
May 9, 2013
Todd Woodard created the program in Excel two years ago and has been testing it at Brevard Public Schools’ four transportation facilities in Florida since then. He explains to SBF how the program works and how it has improved communication and efficiency in the bus inspection process.
Fleet expert Don Ross joins bus dealership LBS South
April 30, 2013
Ross is named service director for the school bus dealership in Jacksonville, Fla. He previously worked for the School District of Manatee County for more than 13 years in several positions, including director of transportation and vehicle maintenance.
Bill would allow school surtax to be used for bus purchases
April 18, 2013
The new Florida legislation would amend current law to expand the use of the School Capital Outlay Surtax, also known as the “school half-cent sales tax,” to include the purchases of yellow buses. Per the bill analysis, this would provide an additional funding source for bus purchases.
Bus driver suspended for cell phone use, lying about caller
April 11, 2013
Rossana Lucas receives a 10-day suspension after she is seen on a video surveillance camera taking a call, and she also picks up another driver at an unauthorized stop. Lucas tells officials for the Florida district that she had taken the call from her son, a Marine stationed in Iraq, but the district’s investigation reveals that her story doesn't add up, and she admits that the caller was not her son.
VIDEO: Bus driver allegedly kicks special-needs student
April 1, 2013
Footage from the September incident released last month shows Stephanie Wilkerson thrusting her left foot forward, and it makes contact with an autistic child on the bus’ stairs, who then falls. Wilkerson was fired from her position at a Florida district following the incident, and she faces a charge of aggravated child abuse.
Florida bus driver to be honored for rescuing toddler
March 12, 2013
Jim Letos spots the child on the side of a highway and brings the toddler on his bus after calling 911. Letos is scheduled to be recognized for his actions at a Pinellas County Schools board meeting on Tuesday.
Florida bill would permit photo enforcement of bus passing
March 5, 2013
The legislation would enable school boards to authorize that cameras be installed on school buses to capture motorists who illegally pass the buses, and then use that as evidence for law enforcement to issue citations. Violators would be issued a $250 fine.
Mom’s sign tells drivers to stop for school bus
February 14, 2013
In Lee County, Fla., Ann Tomlinson saw how many motorists were illegally passing her daughter’s school bus, and she decided to do something about it. Holding a “STOP FOR BUS” sign and wearing a safety vest, she stands at the bus stop — morning and afternoon — to spread the safety message.
Florida district takes part in Alabama bus driver’s funeral
February 6, 2013
Nearly 30 school bus drivers and the director of transportation from Florida’s Escambia County School District drove to Ozark, Ala., on Sunday to attend the funeral of fellow driver Charles Poland, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Here is an account of their moving experience.
Batteries stolen from 16 buses at Fla. district terminal
January 10, 2013
Drivers arrive at work on Monday and discover that the batteries have been stolen. The Broward Sheriff’s Office says that the thief or thieves probably wanted to sell the batteries for scrap, so investigators check scrap yards in the area.
Bus driver runs red light, crashes into power pole
January 4, 2013
Officials for the Florida Highway Patrol say that Jack Timmel sped through the light and sideswiped a minivan before crashing into a concrete wall and the light pole. The six special-needs students on the bus are uninjured, and Timmel is cited for the violation.
Teen, stepfather charged in attack at school bus stop
December 19, 2012
Jontae Dellano is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and his stepfather, Jamal Shields, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and contributing to the delinquency of a child for the pre-planned assault against Raheem Davis. Police say Shields drove Dellano to the bus stop and watched as he attacked Davis with a sock filled with padlocks on Dec. 13.
Bullets found on school buses in Ohio, Florida
December 17, 2012
In Friday’s incident in Ohio, a student turns in what appears to be a .22 caliber bullet that was on the bus’ floor, and an investigation continues as to how the bullet got on the bus. In Monday’s incident in Florida, a 9 millimeter bullet is found on a bus, and a student comes forward and says it had fallen out of his pocket on the bus.
Another bill aims to allow ads on Fla. school buses
December 6, 2012
Under the legislation, commercial advertisements that are “family and child friendly” could be placed on the exterior of a school bus. The idea has been proposed in Florida before but hasn’t passed.
District reviews special-needs safety following students’ deaths
November 30, 2012
One student with a neuromuscular disorder passed away in January, a day after she began choking on her school bus. The bus driver and aide reportedly tried to have the dispatch operator or transportation supervisor call 911. In the second incident, a student with Down syndrome drowned in a pond behind a middle school in October.
Teen charged in school bus shooting
November 27, 2012
According to a Miami Herald report, the 15-year-old accused in last week’s fatal shooting had sneaked the gun to school before and shown it to classmates. He is charged with manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon, although prosecutors have not yet decided whether to charge him as an adult.
13-year-old girl dies after school bus shooting
November 20, 2012
According to Miami-Dade police, the girl is shot in a private school bus on Tuesday morning and later succumbs to her injuries in the hospital. Responding officers apprehend the alleged shooter and recover the firearm. The other children on the bus, including the victim’s 7-year-old sibling, are not injured.
Florida’s Mike Connors retires
October 11, 2012
The longtime director of transportation at Brevard Public Schools reflects on his career and tells SBF that he is grateful for the recognition he and his staff have received from the publication. Assistant Director of Transportation Arby Creach discusses Connors’ impact on the operation and what lies ahead for the staff.
Leonard Bus Sales launches Fla. operation, adds jobs
October 10, 2012
The school and commercial bus distributor launches LBS South LLC, which will operate as a separate company that supports the market in Florida. In New York, Leonard Bus Sales brings on new employees to the customer support and sales teams.
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