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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 . . .
Read More →Since joining the SBF staff last year, I have heard and read from numerous sources that transporting students to and from school safely is the top priority for individuals within the pupil transportation industry. Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when . . .
Read More →I’ve often heard people in the pupil transportation industry say that the school bus is an extension of the classroom. I tend to agree. And in the same way that teachers can make a lasting impact on their students, bus drivers often do the same with their passengers. An editorial that I came across online recently provides strong evidence . . .
Read More →On Sept. 11, 2001, I was beginning my sophomore year of college in a small New England town. News spread rapidly across campus that day. Classes were canceled and a candlelight vigil was planned. . .
Read More →Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other agencies have illustrated the unparalleled safety record of school bus transportation in the U.S. and Canada. Another sign of our pupil transportation industry’s success can be seen in how some countries across have the globe have studied it and used it as a guide for their own . . .
Read More →After an extended break, the SCHOOL BUS FLEET blog is officially back in action. Each week, my fellow editors and I will post on all things related to pupil transportation — from breaking news to human interest stories to industry chatter — adding occasional doses of opinion and humor. We hope you'll . . .
Read More →In August 1994, I saw a classified ad in the local newspaper. It read something like: "Managing editor needed for bus mag. Good working environment." Seeing that I was unemployed and likely to stay that way unless I developed some curiosity about editing jobs with bus mags, I called about the listing and a few days later was hired as senior editor at SCHOOL BUS FLEET Magazine.School buses? Why would anyone publish a magazine about buses? What have I gotten myself into? I asked myself. . .
Read More →My older son, who's in the third grade, recently told me that one of his classmates threw him down on the grass during recess. I said, "One of the bigger kids, right?" He said, "No, actually he's smaller than me." He leveled his hand to his own chin. "About this tall." "And he threw you down?" I replied. Well, you get the drift. I don't know if I'd classify his classmate as a bully, more likely he's just a rambunctious friend, but it concerns me when kids are tossing each . . .
Read More →Both of my sons, ages 6 and 8, are back in school. Neither ride the bus. We live outside the neighborhood school zone and thus don't qualify for school bus service. That means, of course, that my wife must drive them to and from school each day, a distance of about 3 miles.I know this is not the safest way to get them to and from school, but we don't have much choice. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if they did ride the bus. Would I go out and size up the driver? Would I complain...
Read More →A while back I posted a note titled "Are You My Friend or My Boss?" and received many thoughtful comments about the critical importance of a manager developing a good relationship with his or her staff. This is not an easy task, I know. It requires give and take from both parties for the larger good of the organization.The reason I bring this up again is that I received an e-mail from a frustrated transportation supervisor who is trying to build a healthier workplace, but has had no success...
Read More →I just received good news from a friend in the industry who is very close to moving from a job as a school bus driver for a school district to a management trainee for a contractor. She has her sights set on becoming a transportation director one day, and I believe she's going to do it.Not every bus driver, however, aspires to become a manager. Some are quite happy where they're at, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But I wonder if we're doing enough as an industry to develop...
Read More →I'm late by a day with my weekly blog update, but you'll have to cut me some slack because I was on a badly needed vacation. I took the family to Catalina Island, about 20 miles off the coast of Southern California. I think it's important to take off from work every now and then. We've gotten to a point where we're consumed by our jobs, especially with the advent of cell phones and e-mail. As we rode the ferry boat from Long Beach to Catalina, I watched as one fellow passenger spent most of...
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