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5 Highlights from Special-Needs Transportation
These stories provided information about the state of special-needs transportation for students in 2023.
December 22, 2023
2 min to read
New York City saw the settlement of a major class-action lawsuit related to special-needs transportation, while School Bus Fleet's 2023 survey found continued discomfort in the industry when it comes to school bus manufacturing and the availability of aides to serve aboard buses.
Those were just a couple of highlights from this year.
2023 Special Needs Survey: Bus Production Lead Times, Lack of Aides Among Several Pain Points
During a pilot project with GreenPower Motor Company, a Wyoming County (West Virginia) Schools student is helped aboard a Type A Nano BEAST electric school bus.
Photo: GreenPower Motor Company
The 2023 survey, which appeared in the February print edition of School Bus Fleet, offered a glimpse of how special-needs transportation providers were faring and what challenges they faced.
Guidelines for Transporting Students with Spina Bifida [Updated 2023]
When transporting students with spina bifida, school bus drivers should avoid sudden stops, sharp turns, and bumps on the route.
Image: Canva/School Bus Fleet
Symptoms, treatment, and transportation strategies for students with spina bifida.
Settlement Finalized in NYC Class-Action Diabetes Lawsuit
The settlement agreement calls for better accommodations and improved training to care for students with diabetes.
Image: Canva
A federal court gave final approval to a plan to make better accommodations for New York City's students with diabetes and to ensure they can properly experience school activities alongside their classmates.
Driving the Displaced: Transporting America’s Homeless Students
Transporting students whose “home” setting can change almost daily can prove challenging for school districts, which determine bus routes based on the addresses of their students.
Image: Rhode Island Department of Education/Canva/School Bus Fleet
In a day and age where an education can prove transformative for youth in vulnerable environments, finding solutions to transport them is crucial.
Working Animals: Service Dogs and the School Bus
Make sure to check all federal and state laws for service animals, develop a district policy, and communicate with all staff, drivers, and students about a service animal prior to it ever boarding the bus.
Photo: Canine Companions
School buses are going to the dogs! No, not like that; for students with disabilities, service animals are critical support and are permitted both in schools and on the big yellow bus. Here’s how school districts can plan and prepare for a new furry passenger.
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