Drivers who transport people with disabilities should be aware of their passengers’ needs and challenges. But can they be taught to truly understand? ...

Pupil transportation officials waited anxiously outside the Grand Rapids, Mich., police department training facility as its Special Response Team evac...

Pupil transportation professionals convene to fill up on solutions for key challenges in safety, special needs and — most evidently — fuel concerns.

Every fall, school bus operators concern themselves with securing necessary equipment to "winterize" their buses. What equipment they specify depends ...

As a related service provider who attends IEP meetings regularly, I am amazed that I am often the person responsible for leading the team in its discu...

With the bulk of medical and therapeutic equipment student transporters are required to haul these days, it’s easy to feel like you are driving ...

There is no doubt that motorized wheelchairs are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Some motorized wheelchairs have power tilt and power recline cap...

With so many new types of wheelchairs on the market, spec'ing a wheelchair lift for a school bus has become a complex task.

Some help is availab...

You have been notified by the special education department that a new student has moved into your county and that you will need to start transporting ...

The 10th National Conference and Exhibition on Transporting Students with Disabilities and the Preschool Population took place in Phoenix in early Mar...

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services recently issued a position paper that focuses on the importance of driver training in ensuring the safe transportation of children to and from school and school-related activities. ... The paper also includes an important message about drivers of special-needs students.

The ANSI/RESNA standard specifies general design requirements, test procedures and performance requirements for wheelchairs that may be used in a wide range of transportation modes, including school buses, transit buses, over-the-road coaches and personally licensed vehicles.

Students who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs represent only a small fraction of the approximately 23.5 million children who ride school buses to and from school each day. As such, they could be easily overlooked when it comes to occupant safety.

With crash-tested securement points, the transport wheelchair will significantly improve passenger safety. Meanwhile, retractable securement systems already are having a positive impact.

Although there are exceptions, industry experts say specific lift procedures need to be closely followed. Driver and attendant training is critical, they add.

Extra care needs to be given to school loading-zone safety when buses for children with special-needs are involved, especially when the children are transported in wheelchairs.

These tips on training, equipment, communication, information and program monitoring can improve the safety and efficiency of your operation.

As we prepare for the annual National Conference and Exhibition on Transporting Students with Disabilities, scheduled March 4-8 in Orlando, Fla, a maj...