School bus seats slashed at North Carolina district
Nearly 400 seats were cut on 17 school buses, causing about $50,000 of damage. Seats on only one of the buses could be temporarily repaired for the morning route, and the other 16 buses were replaced by spares.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Every seat on 17 school buses in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools parking lot was slashed over last weekend, Winston-Salem Journal reports.
Bus drivers discovered the vandalism when they returned to their buses on Monday morning, according to the newspaper. Employees found seats slashed on all the buses that were parked along the back row in the lot.
The lot was locked, but it appeared that the vandal or vandals climbed a tree and stepped onto the barbed wire-topped fence surrounding the lot, Darrell Taylor, the transportation director for the district, told Winston-Salem Journal. Most of the buses are equipped with cameras, so district officials are checking whether the incident was recorded.
The damage to the buses was estimated to be nearly $50,000, with almost 400 seats having been damaged, Taylor told the newspaper. He added that some of the seats and seat foam were so torn that they would need to be replaced. He also said that one of the buses’ seats was temporarily repaired with duct tape and used for the morning route, and the other 16 buses were replaced by substitute buses.
To read the full story, go here.
More Safety
How to Build a Better School Bus Driver Training Program
Is it time to strengthen your driver training? Here’s how to pick the right talent and improve recruitment, retention, and safety. This video is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
Recent School Bus Accidents Leave 2 Dead, 2 Injured
Four school bus crashes in Florida, Illinois, and Georgia highlight risks in transportation lots, at bus stops, and during student loading and unloading.
Read More →
When Every Second Matters, Clarity Keeps Routes Moving
From routine delays to urgent incidents, strong communication practices help drivers, dispatchers, schools, and families respond with confidence.
Read More →
What Happens When a School Bus Catches Fire — and What Can Help
School bus fires are rare but can be devastating. Learn how advances in fire suppression and asset protection help fleets detect fires earlier, reduce damage, and improve safety.
Read More →
Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents
Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.
Read More →
Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.
Read More →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →
Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System
The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.
Read More →
How To Build a More Secure School Bus Yard During and After Hours
As thefts and overnight security threats continue, school transportation leaders are combining stronger operational practices with AI-enabled surveillance to better protect buses, facilities, and staff.
Read More →
FMCSA Names New Chief Safety Officer: What School Bus Operators Should Know
Steve Dowling is set to lead the federal agency's efforts to advance commercial motor vehicle safety and reduce crashes, fatalities, and injuries on the nation's roadways.
Read More →