California school bus driver saves students as bus catches fire
Forty-one high school students and an assistant coach escaped the bus uninjured. As the bus lost horsepower, overheated and began to smoke, the driver made sure all the students got off the bus safely.
IRVINE, Calif. — Forty-one high school students and an assistant coach escaped a fire on the school bus they were riding home from a water polo match thanks to the quick actions of their bus driver on Wednesday, NBC4 News reports.
When the bus lost horsepower, overheated and began to smoke, the bus driver pulled the bus over to the freeway’s right shoulder, according to KABC. No injuries were reported.
Derrick Lozano, assistant coach for Foothill High School, told NBC4 News that the bus started to catch fire from the back and moved forward in about two minutes or less. He added that the driver stayed calm and went to the back of the bus to make sure all the students got off the bus safely as the bus was smoking. A second bus was called to pick up the students.
California Highway Patrol officers who directed traffic around the bus also praised the bus driver, according to NBC4 News.
More Safety
The Driver Shortage Playbook
How student transportation fleets are hiring, retaining and adapting .
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
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.
Read More →