1. Fine for stop-arm running rises to $1,250 in Texas
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The increased maximum fine for a first offense of stop-arm running went into effect Sept. 1. The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety said that his agency "will not tolerate individuals who disregard the law and illegally pass stopped school buses."
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2. New PSAs depict the dangers of stop-arm running
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The School Bus Safety Co. and the Child Safety Network created the five free videos, some of which show dramatizations of fatal stop-arm running incidents. A link to the PSAs was being distributed to more than 5,000 school districts with a request to share them with local media.
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3. Houston drivers get creative for ‘School Bus Shuffle’ video
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In honor of National School Bus Safety Week, Houston Independent School District’s transportation team created the video, which covers such topics as proper boarding procedures, how to sit on the bus and the importance of reporting bullying. Transportation Field Safety Investigator Curtis Harris wrote the song and choreographed its accompanying dance.
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4. District catches stop-arm runners with ‘Badges on Buses’
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Norman (Okla.) Public Schools partnered with a group of police officers for the initiative, in which one officer rode a school bus while other officers followed the bus in unmarked units. The officer on the bus radioed the accompanying officers upon spotting a bus-passing violation, and enforcement action was taken.
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5. Architecture student turns school bus into living space
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For his master's final project, Hank Butitta bought an old school bus for $3,000. With about 15 months of work and $6,000 in improvements, the bus became a mobile living space that includes a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom.
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6. Illinois bus driver logs 46 years behind the wheel
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Joyce Bernard applied for and accepted a position at Serena Community Unit District #2 in 1967, craving a job that allowed her to spend a lot of time with her children. Now in her 70s, she told SBF that the thing she loves most about her job is the students she transports, and she has no immediate plans to retire.
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7. At 90, school transportation veteran still on the job
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Earl Rineer continues to pass his annual physical, train and test school bus drivers, and drive when needed. On his 90th birthday, Pennsylvania officials honored him for his school transportation career and other service.
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8. 3 reasons for bus drivers to get fit — and how to get there
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For school bus drivers, obtaining a basic level of fitness and maintaining a healthy weight will enhance safety, professionalism and personal wellness. The job can actually provide a good structure for making time to exercise and eat well.
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9. Danger zone rules are focus of School Bus Safety Week
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This year's theme was "Stand Back From the Yellow and Black," reminding students to wait and walk outside of the 10-foot danger zone around the bus. Some operations also targeted stop-arm running during School Bus Safety Week.
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10. School bus driver killed, student taken hostage
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In Alabama, Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, boarded a school bus and demanded to take children. When school bus driver Charles Albert Poland Jr. refused, he was fatally shot. The suspect then took a 5-year-old kindergartner and retreated to a bunker on his property.
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