Every school day, motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses put students at risk as they board and exit the bus. Making sure federal leaders hear about what student transportation professionals encounter on our nation’s roadways every day remains an important role for the National School Transportation Association (NSTA).

Recently, NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn and I had the opportunity to meet with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Jonathan Morrison and his senior staff in the nation’s capital to discuss the issues shaping the landscape of student transportation.

Macysyn and I were joined by NSTA Lobbyist Becky Weber, NSTA Government Relations Chair Carina Noble, and NSTA Government Relations Coordinator Jordyn Ewing-Anderson. The meeting gave us an opportunity to bring the perspective of school bus contractors directly to NHTSA at a time when federal decisions continue to affect day-to-day operations for transportation providers across the country.

A central topic of our conversation was the urgent need for a national public service announcement (PSA) campaign highlighting the dangers of illegal passing. NSTA supports Congressional action through the Brake for Kids Act (H.R. 2348/S. 2812), bipartisan legislation that would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation, through NHTSA, to develop such a campaign. We believe that this type of PSA, once developed and produced, would reach motorists through a variety of media outlets, including television and radio advertisements, as well as social media messaging.

Because the agency cannot act unilaterally on this type of effort, a bill was introduced in the House by Representative Members Pete Stauber (MN-8), Rudy Yakym (IN-2), Seth Moulton (MA-6), and Julia Brownley (CA-26), and in the Senate by Senators Todd Young (IN) and Gary Peters (MI). The initiative responds to a 2024 NHTSA survey that found 24% of people were unaware it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus. During our Washington, D.C. meeting, we emphasized that private school bus contractors witness illegal school bus passing incidents every day, and that a coordinated national campaign is needed to close awareness gaps, change driver behavior, and protect students as they board and exit the school bus.

“A coordinated national campaign is needed to close awareness gaps, change driver behavior, and protect students as they board and exit the school bus.”

We also discussed NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Marketing materials, and the ready-to-use campaign resources the agency makes available to stakeholders. We highlighted the value of these materials for our members and talked about how school bus contractors amplify NHTSA’s school bus safety messaging in their local communities, extending the reach of federal outreach to motorists who share the road with school buses.

Consistent, recognizable messaging is especially important during high-visibility periods such as back-to-school season and National School Bus Safety Week when contractors, school districts, parents, students, community members, and law enforcement can all reinforce the same message: when the red lights are flashing on a school bus, there is no passing.

NSTA will continue to advocate on behalf of private school bus operators and the students we serve, and your feedback on the federal issues discussed during this meeting will help inform our continued engagement with NHTSA. In fact, at the 2027 NSTA Midwinter Meeting, NHTSA representatives will host a Safety Focus Group program that will help them shape agency priorities. If you are in Palm Springs in January, I hope you take time to attend and participate.

If you have questions about current NSTA advocacy efforts or would like to share feedback from your personal observations on student transportation, please contact me at president@yellowbuses.org.

Remember, with NSTA, you never travel alone.