Our governor here in California, a man by the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger, recently signed into law a ban on text-messaging while driving, effective Jan. 1 of next year. This certainly sounds like a good idea, as it’s hard to see where you’re going if you’re staring at a cellphone and punching the buttons . . .
Our governor here in California, a man by the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger, recently signed into law a ban on text-messaging while driving, effective Jan. 1 of next year. This certainly sounds like a good idea, as it’s hard to see where you’re going if you’re staring at a cellphone and punching the buttons.
In fact, it’s almost mind-boggling that motorists here can still hold a phone to text, but we can’t hold a phone to talk into it — a ban that went into effect several months ago. If you want to chat on the road, you need a headset or some other type of hands-free device.
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Meanwhile, there are still millions of other distracting activities that our legislators will still need to outlaw for drivers: fiddling with the radio, eating a sandwich, reading the newspaper, shaving, putting on makeup, using a calculator, and so on.
Furthermore, studies have shown that talking on a cellphone with a hands-free device is no safer for drivers than talking while holding the phone. It still distracts your brain from the more important task at hand: driving.
Many states have instituted bans on school bus drivers using cellphones (whether hand-held or hands-free), which is good. But it’s important to put cellphone use into perspective as being just one the many distractions that they should avoid. The stakes are incredibly high when you’re carrying a busload of children.
Unfortunately, the children themselves can be a distraction if they act up, which children are known to do. That school bus drivers can stay focused and drive safely is a remarkable feat.
As the pace of fleet electrification increases and charging infrastructure continues to pose challenges, many fleets find themselves puzzling over the question: how do I install charging infrastructure faster and more cost-efficiently?
Executive Editor Wes Platt offers parting thoughts as he parks the School Bus Fleet bus to focus on ultra-local community journalism, making way for someone else to take the wheel as the pupil transportation industry continues to evolve.
Children's Mental Health Awareness Day underscores the significance of school bus drivers in fostering supportive environments during students' journeys. SAMHSA's initiatives, including stigma reduction and access to resources, complement the Biden-Harris administration's funding efforts to enhance youth mental health services and workforce development.
How do you think the potential shift to permanent Daylight Saving Time or standard time would impact our daily lives and routines, especially considering the divided approach across various states?
I remain impressed by the matter-of-fact heroism that’s often demonstrated by school bus drivers like Deona Washington who are caught in these situations where the best of us might lose our cool and panic. But, then again, bus drivers are a unique breed.
Most applicants sought grant funding to acquire electric school buses, with propane coming in a distant second. No one indicated plans to purchase compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in this round. That’s not terribly surprising, I suppose, given how few school districts listed the inclusion of CNG buses in their fleets for our 2023 top district fleets survey.
Calendar pages keep flipping toward the mandates set in states like New York and California to transition their school bus fleets from diesel to zero-emission, but there’s plenty of reluctance and pushback.
Today, California prides itself on utilizing the most zero-emission (ZE) school buses in the country with over 1,689 being used by California school districts; and while the state is on a positive health trajectory thanks to a decree to eliminate gas and diesel vehicles, more work needs to be done to improve children’s well-being.
Bus drivers are the primary caretakers of children during their commute and thus bear responsibility for their safety. By prioritizing proper operating procedures, maintenance checks, and additional precautions, drivers can help avoid the loss of precious young lives under their care.
FMCSA proposes to amend certain Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to ensure the safe introduction of automated driving systems (ADS)-equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) onto the nation’s roadways. The proposed changes to the CMV operations, inspection, repair, and maintenance regulations prioritize safety and security, promote innovation, foster a consistent regulatory approach to ADS-equipped CMVs, and recognize the difference between human operators and ADS.
