WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American School Bus Council (ASBC) is furthering its efforts to garner support for the creation of a federally-funded, two-year public education campaign to promote greater use of school buses.

As SBFpreviously reported, members of the ASBC met with legislators and federal agency staff late last year to present the plan for the campaign.

A letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has since been drafted that outlines the safety, environmental and financial benefits of utilizing school buses, and asks him to dedicate agency funding for the campaign.
 
Congressmen Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Howard Coble (R-N.C.) have prepared a letter that was sent to their colleagues in the House of Representatives on Thursday requesting their support for the ASBC’s campaign and asking them to sign the letter to LaHood.

The ASBC is now asking its members, industry officials and others who support school bus transportation to contact their members of the House of Representatives and ask them to sign the letter to LaHood.

Individuals can contact their representatives through this link: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml. When contacting a congressperson, the ASBC notes that it is important to mention that school buses are, statistically, the safest way for children to get to school, school buses are a “green” motorized choice, replacing 36 cars on the road, and school bus use helps promote learning.

Industry supporters may also write a letter to their representatives. The National School Transportation Association, an ASBC member, has provided a template for a letter to congresspersons on its Website. To view the template (and to read the letter to LaHood), click here.

The association notes that it is important to fax or e-mail the letter to members of Congress, as it would take more than a month for the letter to reach them via regular mail.