Kansas School Bus Safety Unit veteran to retire

Debbie Romine, who has been a fixture in pupil transportation safety training and other programs in Kansas for 26 years, will retire on Dec. 19.

Thomas McMahon・Executive Editor

December 11, 2014

Kansas School Bus Safety Unit veteran to retire — Debbie Romine, a fixture in pupil transportation safety training in Kansas for 26 years, will retire on Dec. 19.

2 min to read

TOPEKA, Kan. — Debbie Romine, a longtime fixture in the Kansas state School Bus Safety Unit, will retire on Dec. 19.

For 26 years, Romine has worked in the School Bus Safety Unit, which has been part of the Kansas State Department of Education for the past 20 years and was under the state Department of Transportation before that. Romine's current position is educational/informational representative II.

The School Bus Safety Unit provides information to school districts, school bus contractors and other organizations to bolster the safe transportation of students to and from school and activities. Even beyond Kansas, the unit is known for compiling a national survey of school bus danger zone fatalities each year.

Romine has earned numerous credentials that have aided her efforts in training pupil transporters. Among other certifications, she is a child passenger safety technician, a first aid and CPR instructor, an intermediate emergency medical technician (EMT-I) and a lead trainer for the state of Kansas for the American Automobile Association’s Driver Improvement Program.

Romine said that after she retires, she plans to spend more time with family, continue volunteering as an EMT-I and pursue other community service activities.

But she won’t be leaving the pupil transportation community for long. In March, she will return to the Kansas State Department of Education in a part-time role. She will travel around the state to teach safety programs to school bus drivers.

Topics:danger zone driver training Kansas Management Safety

More Safety

A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."

Safety•by Elora Haynes•July 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Safety•by Amanda Huggett•July 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•July 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•June 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

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.