
Grand Ledge (Mich.) Public Schools’ transportation department has partnered with local police, who cite motorists captured on camera running the buses’ stop arms, and the transportation staff is also working to inform the public of the state’s laws for driving around school buses through billboards and other media outlets. Transportation Supervisor John Legus discusses these and other initiatives with SBF.
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The state directors association had previously expressed its support for lap-shoulder belts if funding is made available. Now, the NASDPTS board strengthens its position by dropping the funding clause. However, the association is not calling for a requirement. “We believe this should be a local decision based on local need,” NASDPTS President Max Christensen says.
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Christopher Hart, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, will address NAPT and NASDPTS members in a joint session. He is expected to discuss recent crash investigation results and recommendations. Also during the joint session, attendees will watch the film “Impact: After the Crash,” which reenacts the catastrophic 1988 bus crash in Carrollton, Ky., and shares inspirational stories of survivors.
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Lake Orion (Mich.) Community Schools’ program started out as an initiative for the district’s bus drivers to help teachers in the classroom with reading to students, but it has grown into a larger effort that includes educational activities on the school bus. Director of Transportation Dale Goby discusses with SBF the positive impact the program has had on students, school personnel and the transportation team.
Read More →The school bus contractor’s agreement with Kenowa Hills Public Schools begins Sept. 1, and the contract is the company’s first in western Michigan. Durham will use 34 buses to serve six schools and more than 2,400 student riders, with a plan to replace a significant portion of the fleet over time, officials say.
Read More →Richard Deering, transportation supervisor for Northport School District, was driving by the home when he noticed smoke, and he stopped to help the husband and wife. The husband had undergone knee replacement surgery, so Deering carried him to his truck, and he also tried to save the couple’s vehicle from the garage, where the fire had started.
Read More →Contractor Dean Transportation will provide the service to Walled Lake Consolidated School District beginning with the 2013-14 school year, a move that will save the district more than $1.428 million annually over the three years of the contract. Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Gutman notes in a letter to district parents and staff that the company was selected after “a rigorous interview process, reference checks with other districts, and after interviewing the owner.”
Read More →When Louk Markham got behind the wheel of a school bus recently, it wasn't just any field trip — it was his final journey in a pupil transportation career that began nearly 40 years ago. Markham, who concluded his tenure as transportation supervisor at Merced (Calif.) City School District, discusses the highlights and challenges of his time in the yellow bus industry.
Read More →The Michigan-based company has been a dealer for Thomas Built Buses since 1980, and it also provides new and used school, child care and commercial vehicles. Officials say this year also represents a new beginning of growth and opportunity for the company.
Read More →Jill Fons has worked for Hartland Consolidated Schools for 23 years, beginning as a school bus driver, then a dispatcher and then supervisor. The district recognizes her as its April "Person of the Month."
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