This question is the new “do you blog?” of the moment. Twitter is an online application that allows readers to send and receive messages of just 140 characters in length. When you send a message, it's called a tweet. So now you can notify all your friends that you just brushed your teeth or are waiting for a train, plus you can keep tabs on Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher via their Twitter feeds.

Beyond this, however, many public organizations are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon to publish more important information. Fire and police departments are using the Website to post emergency information or updates on local crimes. The Charlotte (N.C.) Fire Department has an official Twitter feed, and on June 8, this message appeared:

*Traffic Collision Involv a Bus*: 9600 blk of Steele Meadow Rd; School bus vs veh; assessing in... Read more at http://bit.ly/173Se4

As reported on the local public radio station, the fire department is using Twitter as a way to get information about incidents to the public “more quickly, correctly and efficiently.”

As of today, it looks like about 13 school districts have established Twitter feeds. When you open an account at www.twitter.com, you can search for Twitter feeds using keywords. The school district feed with the most followers so far is Lee School District in Fort Myers, Fla. (http://twitter.com/LeeSchools), which has posted updates about summer school bus schedules and letting parents know when grades have come out.

Does your school district or bus company use Twitter? Do you think it would be a useful way to communicate with parents, teachers, students and the general public? Let us know in the comments below or by sending an e-mail to info@schoolbusfleet.com. 

Thanks,

Claire Atkinson, Senior Editor