Bus Briefs — 7/22/09
Fingerprint ID system to help district keep track of bus riders BARTOW, Fla. — Polk County Public Schools plans to implement a fingerprin...
Fingerprint ID system to help district keep track of bus riders
BARTOW, Fla. — Polk County Public Schools plans to implement a fingerprint ID system this fall as part of a plan to keep track of who is on its school buses. More than 4,000 students will place their thumbs on a reader as they board and disembark their buses. The district eventually wants to use the system with all 47,000 students who ride school buses. To read the full story, click here.
County could consolidate public and private school bus service
LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s County commissioners met recently with St. Mary’s County Public Schools board members to discuss the possibility of consolidating school bus services provided to public and private schools within the county. Currently, the St. Mary’s Public Schools transportation department runs the public bus system, while the St. Mary’s County government separately hires contractors to run 41 buses to transport 2,250 students to private schools. To read the full story, click here.
Brothers use remodeled bus to promote philanthropic efforts
CULPEPER, Va. — Two brothers made a stop here last week in their remodeled 1949 school bus to promote Operation Iraqi Children, an organization that provides school supplies to countries where American soldiers are stationed. The men, who served in the U.S. Air Force, drive to different communities and hold school supply drives regularly to support the organization. To read the full story, click here.
More Safety

The Driver Shortage Playbook
Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.
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Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System
The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.
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N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students
New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.
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America Has a School Bus Passing Problem — and Distraction Is Making It Worse
Illegal school bus passing remains a major safety threat as distracted driving rises. This op-ed explores why awareness, enforcement, and stop-arm cameras matter more than ever.
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School Bus Laws to Watch: New York Delays EV Mandate
Plus, federal lawmakers seek new funding for school bus safety as states weigh stop-arm enforcement, disability protections, and education spending.
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The Essential Handbook for Safe Alternative Student Transportation
Your district's "exception riders" — students with IEPs, those experiencing homelessness, foster care youth — deserve more than a middleman solution. This handbook breaks down exactly what to look for in a supplemental transportation partner: from driver vetting and regulatory compliance to proactive safety technology. Because getting a ride isn't the same as getting a safe one.
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Operation STEER Brings Emergency Response Training to North Texas
Prosper ISD hosted the third annual training for transportation professionals across 67 districts to learn how to respond to emergencies, such as rollovers and evacuations, and proper use of safety equipment.
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Florida District Relaunches BusPatrol School Bus Camera Program With New Safeguards
After being suspended over due process concerns, Miami-Dade schools and law enforcement are restarting the AI-powered stop-arm camera program with new oversight.
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School Bus Laws To Watch: Seat Belt Bills, Funding Fights & EV Changes
From national bills on seat belts and driver oversight to driver awareness campaigns referencing “Finn’s Rule” and ongoing transportation funding debates in Alaska, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
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9-Year-Old Boy Killed by School Bus at Busy Brooklyn Intersection
A Williamsburg community is mourning after a child was fatally struck by a private yeshiva bus, prompting calls for urgent safety improvements at the high-traffic crossing.
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