Ohio county offers ‘instant’ background checks
CINCINNATI — School districts in Hamilton County can now request free criminal background checks on their bus drivers. Clerk of Courts Greg H...
CINCINNATI — School districts in Hamilton County can now request free criminal background checks on their bus drivers.
Clerk of Courts Greg Hartmann sent letters Monday to the county’s 23 public school districts and more than 100 private schools informing them of the program.
Districts and schools that participate will submit a confidential list of their bus drivers to Hartmann's office to be run against county court records. The free “instant notification” program will then report back any criminal convictions among the drivers.
“Current state law regulating bus drivers is just not strong enough when considering the best interests of our children,” Hartmann said. “The current law too narrowly focuses on driving records and does not focus enough on comprehensive background checks done on a more routine basis.”
More Safety
How a Texas District Built an Award-Winning Safety Culture
Rockwall ISD's Jennifer Gardella joins The Route to share lessons learned on accident prevention, driver training, coaching, technology, and team culture.
Read More →How Rockwall ISD Built an Award-Winning Safety Culture
How did one Texas transportation team strengthen bus and traffic safety? Jennifer Gardella shares lessons on driver training, coaching, technology, and team culture. The Route is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
North Carolina Student Killed While Boarding School Bus, Two Die in Utah Bus Crash
A Southern Nash High School student died after being struck by a pickup truck while approaching her school bus. In a separate incident, two people were killed after crashing into a school bus in Utah.
Read More →
Minneapolis School Zone Pilot Cuts Speeding 41% with Low-Cost Street Design Changes
In a pilot project in Minnesota, two school-area intersections had low-cost, temporary road and traffic flow improvements made to measure the impact on roadway and student safety. Here's what they found.
Read More →
Sitestream, Safety Vision Partner with Connecticut City to Launch School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Program
The new enforcement initiative combines camera technology and violation management software to document illegal school bus passing, encourage driver compliance, and enhance student safety.
Read More →
From Reactive to Proactive: Making Every Ride Visible
Smart technology only delivers its full value when it works together. See how Catalyst connects proven industry platforms to move student transportation from reactive to proactive.
Read More →
HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud Warns Motorists of Stopped School Buses
Through a transponder or Samsara connection, the product lets school bus fleets send advance warnings to approaching drivers through in-vehicle alerts.
Read More →
HopSkipDrive Reports Progress on Safety Advisory Council
More than a year after forming the council, independent safety experts have helped shape new rider-safety features and policy progress, with a new goal to address rider behavior.
Read More →
What the 2026 National School Bus Safety Month Resolution Means for Student Transportation
The bipartisan resolution highlights illegal school bus passing, student safety during loading and unloading, and the need for driver training and public education.
Read More →
School Bus Stop-Arm Violations Decline 53% Across Verra Mobility Programs
Verra Mobility shares how school bus stop-arm cameras and school zone safety programs are changing driver behavior, reducing violations, and protecting students.
Read More →

