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Thomas McMahon

Executive Editor

Thomas had covered the pupil transportation industry with School Bus Fleet since 2002. When he's not writing articles about yellow buses, he enjoys running long distances and making a joyful noise with his guitar.

Newsby Thomas McMahonMarch 12, 2013

New state director named in Kansas

Keith Dreiling, a former lieutenant with the Kansas Highway Patrol, joins the Kansas State Department of Education as state director for pupil transportation. He replaces industry veteran Larry Bluthardt, who retired last year.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonMarch 12, 2013

NTSB official highlights dangers of driver fatigue

While the “spring forward” clock change creates a national sleep debt and leads to a spike in auto crashes, driver fatigue is a “life-threatening concern” at all times of the year, Mark Rosekind writes in a National Transportation Safety Board blog post.

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Fit for the job

I just hope to be half as fit and active as Earl Rineer when I’m 60, let alone 90. Earl, who marked nine decades in January, has been committed to the safe transportation of students since he began driving yellow buses in 1976. These days ...

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Newsby Thomas McMahonMarch 1, 2013

Student tracking app aims to increase reimbursements

With the Patron Attendance and Tracking Solution, created by Kevin McGuire of Michigan City (Ind.) Area Schools, bus personnel select students' photos on a tablet as they board or exit the bus. After fully implementing the app on its special-needs buses, the district expects a 20% increase in Medicaid reimbursements.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 28, 2013

Nebraska bill targets bus driver cell phone use

New legislation aims to prohibit school bus drivers from using interactive wireless communication devices while the bus in motion. However, a rule to that effect was already approved by the Nebraska Department of Education last year.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 27, 2013

Alabama event honors school bus drivers, including Charles Poland

At a celebration held at Transportation South, Harry Leach of Trussville City Schools is named Alabama's Love the Bus driver of the year. A moment of silence is observed for Charles Poland, the driver who was fatally shot while protecting his passengers in Midland City.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 26, 2013

More details on Dubai school transportation conference

The event stems from the partnership between the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai and the National Association for Pupil Transportation in the U.S. The Dubai school transportation conference, to be held April 21 to 23, will feature workshops on pertinent topics — including safety, regulations and student management — and will include a trade show.

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Articlesby Thomas McMahonFebruary 25, 2013

Don’t fall out of your seat

Do some school bus drivers need their passengers (or someone else) to remind them to buckle up? Recent incidents of un-belted drivers falling out of their seat show the need for managers to regularly monitor their drivers’ seat belt use — and to enforce penalties for not complying.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 25, 2013

TV spot focuses on CNG school buses

Long-running public television program MotorWeek does a segment on Pennsylvania's Lower Merion School District, which has close to half of its 114 buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG). The district plans to go all-CNG when more fueling stations are available.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 20, 2013

Diesel retrofit supplier Cleaire shuts down

The company, which offered a variety of diesel particulate filters to retrofit school buses and other vehicles, closed last month. Cleaire’s LongMile filter has reportedly been linked to brush fires and was voluntarily recalled last year. A California Air Resources Board official says that “it is paramount that the safety concerns with the Cleaire LongMile system are immediately addressed.”

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