SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Head Start Program May Require Physical Testing for Its School Bus Drivers

An Idaho program's drivers would be tested on requirements such as being able to lift 50 pounds. The proposed testing follows a crash that injured dozens of junior high students. 

July 18, 2017
Head Start Program May Require Physical Testing for Its School Bus Drivers

An Idaho Head Start/Early Head Start program may test its drivers on requirements such as being able to lift 50 pounds. Shown here is a physical performance test in New York. Photo courtesy Scott Thorner

2 min to read


An Idaho Head Start/Early Head Start program may test its drivers on requirements such as being able to lift 50 pounds. Shown here is a physical performance test in New York. Photo courtesy Scott Thorner

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A Head Start/Early Head Start program here may require school bus drivers to undergo physical testing in response to a school district bus crash in April that injured dozens of students, the Times-News reports.

The job description for a bus driver for the program, which provides school bus transportation for 3- and 4-year-old preschool students, includes requirements such as being able to lift 50 pounds, but there isn’t a way to prove current and prospective drivers can do that, according to the newspaper. Mancole Fedder, the program director for the College of Southern Idaho’s Head Start/Early Head Start program said that he is working with a state nonprofit health care system to develop a post-employment screening for bus drivers.

The proposed screening would include range of motion and grip strength, and would be part of a required U.S. Department of Transportation physical, according to the newspaper. It would cost $25 for every 15 minutes and would take most drivers 30 minutes to complete. Fedder presented the proposed plan to the college’s board of trustees on Monday.

The proposal follows an April 18 crash in Idaho that injured dozens of students when, as previously reported, Blaine County School District bus driver Richard Mecham drove off the right shoulder of the road, overcorrected, and rolled the vehicle while transporting a junior high track team, according to Idaho State Police. A police report stated that Mecham was asleep, drowsy, or fatigued while operating the school bus. Mecham was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving in June.

More Safety

Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Transportant stop arm camera shown on an orange “new product” graphic with School Bus Fleet branding.
SafetyJanuary 20, 2026

Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses

Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 19, 2026

3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers

Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.

Read More →
An image of a student with a backpack walking with text reading "Walking School Bus: Grant Fuels Safer Pedestrian Routes to School in New Mexico."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 15, 2026

New Mexico District Receives $2.7M Grant to Expand Walking School Bus Programs

See how a federal grant will help Albuquerque Public Schools expand supervised walking routes and improve student safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration showing a school bus with a standard stop arm and a deployed retractable safety barrier extending across the roadway to block passing vehicles.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Florida Inventor Creates Retractable 10-Foot Stop-Arm

A newly developed school bus safety device introduces a retractable barrier designed to deter illegal passing during student loading and unloading.

Read More →