This year for our annual series, we've profiled five maintenance programs at school district and contractor fleets around the country that have led them to excel on state inspections. They have also helped to reduce the operations' costs and enhance safety.

The state's Department of Heath and Department of Education have partnered with emergency response agencies and school districts to develop AmuBus, a program that allows districts to turn out-of-rotation buses into medical evacuation vehicles during emergencies.

I also have to wonder whether the story would have spread so fast and so far if it hadn’t initially been called a “school bus crash.”

Compromising safety because of cost is a shortsighted decision. It is important to remember that the value of a human life does not change in a recession.

Here, we provide details on a variety of innovative school bus air conditioning offerings from six manufacturers.

Requirements for transporting non-disabled students vary widely by state and may be subject to far-reaching cuts, but requirements for disabled students are governed by IDEA. Still, opportunities exist to boost efficiency and reduce expenses.

Greg Bennett and Steve Girardin discuss the joint venture to merge the manufacturers’ Type A bus products.

St. Louis-based EMT has found a market in assisting school districts with special-needs and homeless student transportation. After launching in St. Louis, franchises have been established in nine states.

Here’s a look at the latest in pupil transportation products that were on view at the NAPT trade show in Louisville, Ky. New technologies included high-intensity LED warning lights and a browser-based fleet maintenance system.

Instruction in this area is important for school bus drivers and aides to successfully work with students with disabilities, and changing how the information is delivered and who delivers it helps promote trainee engagement. There are numerous resources within and outside of school districts that can enliven sessions and motivate employees.

The features of today’s vehicle lifts help prevent technician injuries, but to maximize their safety, pupil transporters must ensure that the lift is certified, that their shop can properly house the equipment, that techs are trained to operate it and that the lift is inspected annually.

Our annual series is back as we profile five outstanding pupil transportation operations from around the nation. Find out how their safety practices, innovative training programs and open lines of communication have led them to succeed. 

A school bus driver needs to be buckled in so he doesn't get thrown out of his seat, but there are some drivers out there who seem to be ignoring this message, as evidenced by the fatal Huntsville, Ala., bus crash in 2006. The driver was not wearing his seat belt.

Safety is freedom from risk. Nearly every accident is caused by unsafe behaviors performed by the driver. Operations must identify what these behaviors are and use training and education materials to persuade drivers and managers to remove them.

SBF presents the 36th award to the veteran transportation director from
Virginia, who has served as a mentor for many new people entering the field.

Changing regulations, innovative state programs and transporting homeless students are also discussed during the annual NASDPTS conference in Louisville, Ky.

National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) members heard a major theme emerge during the general sessions and seminars at the 2009 Summit: namely, that transportation is a key part of the education system, and the industry must take on and promote that role in order to achieve larger safety and educational goals.

Top viewed stories included  "Approaches to Protect Students in Loading Zones," "Restructuring Transportation for Tight Budgets," and "Strategies for Discipline Problems on the School Bus."

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.

For those just starting out in pupil transportation, remembering a few pieces of advice, such as maintaining the industry's safety standards, will put them on the road to success.