In the February issue, Executive Editor Thomas McMahon described an incident in which a school bus driver was charged with illegally passing another school bus. He asked readers to tell us how they would respond to such an incident at their operation, and what offenses lead to immediate termination.

Before the start of the school year, Harford County Public Schools sets up an elaborate range of obstacles to test its bus drivers. Learning from past accidents and mastering difficult maneuvers are key steps to maximizing safety.

Districts across the country are facing budget cuts — sometimes drastic. Pupil transportation professionals are examining innovative ways to maintain current levels of service with significantly fewer dollars.

Recent student fatalities highlight the importance of maximizing safety in and around this area at schools. Pupil transportation industry professionals offer many effective ways to do so, from separating groups of traffic to implementing detailed policies for bus drivers to providing training for students. Communicating with school staff and parents is essential.

How do you, as transportation professionals, prepare your staff for situations that are not explained in your policies and procedures manual?

When parents aren't present to receive their children, pupil transporters face a predicament. Instead of bringing students to the depot, drivers should take them back to school. Here's why.

School bus drivers should not need to worry about being attacked on the job, especially by parents. After all, these drivers are paid to protect their...

Driver absenteeism can make a transportation manager’s life miserable. When drivers do not come to work, a dark veil is cast over the entire departmen...

Supervisors need to monitor aging drivers for diminishing visual and cognitive skills. Specialized training and more frequent assessment tests might also be in order.

As an increasing number of students are being diagnosed with latex allergies, school bus operators must learn to minimize triggers, while at the same time gearing up for potential reactions.

Lawsuits are nearly inevitable. Transportation managers can avoid a courtroom disaster by focusing on driver and student training and documentation and by staying abreast of the industry's 'hot topics.'

California officials have often been asked questions regarding school transportation to which there were no concrete answers and no “best practices” manual to which they could refer.

Consistency, documentation and progressive discipline are the keys to 'successful' termination of drivers and others.