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Newsby Thomas McMahonAugust 12, 2014

New Florida state director has decades of experience

Ronnie McCallister, who succeeds longtime state pupil transportation director Charlie Hood, is no stranger to the Florida Department of Education. He began working there as a fleet program specialist in 1990 and was promoted to assistant director of pupil transportation in 2004.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonJune 19, 2014

Associations asked union not to misuse school bus in campaign

The three national pupil transportation groups wrote to the Labors' International Union of North America, requesting that the union not negatively represent the yellow bus in its highway bill reauthorization campaign. But on Monday, the union launched a tour featuring a school bus that appears to have been smashed by a fallen piece of bridge.

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ArticlesApril 28, 2014

Compartmentalization plus

We need to be clear that the debate is not compartmentalization vs. lap-shoulder belts. These three-point restraint systems can work together with compartmentalization to enhance its effectiveness.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonApril 11, 2014

Nebraska state pupil transportation director Russ Inbody passes

Inbody, who worked for the Nebraska Department of Education for 37 years, died last month after a long illness. Nebraska Council of School Administrators officials call Inbody "an invaluable resource and support for school districts in his work in school finance, transportation services and negotiating the ever-complicated [school finance] formula."

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School Bus Fleet BlogApril 1, 2014

Compartmentalization plus

Rather than resting on the fact that the yellow bus is the long-established safest form of school transportation, we need to be constantly asking ourselves this question: Could school buses be safer? When we ask that question, we have to consider lap-shoulder belts, which has long been a contentious issue in the industry. ...

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Newsby Thomas McMahonMarch 24, 2014

Charlie Hood named next executive director of NASDPTS

Hood, the longtime Florida state pupil transportation director, will take on the association position this summer, after current Executive Director Bob Riley retires. NASDPTS President Max Christensen says that Hood "brings new ideas and enthusiasm to the position that will help the association move forward with expanded services and direction."

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 12, 2014

New NASDPTS paper details support for lap-shoulder belts

The new position paper elaborates on the state directors association’s recently updated stance on lap-shoulder belts — fully supporting their installation and use in school buses. NASDPTS lays out 10 supporting points for its position, including the limits of compartmentalization and the ability of current lap-shoulder belt systems to maintain bus capacity.

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Articlesby Thomas McMahonJanuary 9, 2014

NASDPTS bolsters support for lap-shoulder belts

The state directors association had previously expressed its support for lap-shoulder belts if funding is made available. At the annual NASDPTS conference, the board strengthens its position by dropping the funding clause. Safety topics were the focus of many conference sessions.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonDecember 16, 2013

NASDPTS Executive Director Bob Riley to retire

Riley, a former state and district director, has held the executive role for the state pupil transportation directors association since 2006. NASDPTS is now searching for a replacement for Riley, who is expected to retire in June of next year.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonDecember 11, 2013

State directors to develop training guidelines for seat belts

In response to NTSB recommendations, NASDPTS says it will develop guidelines to assist schools in training bus drivers, students and parents on “the importance and proper use” of various types of school bus seat belts. The state directors association says it will also develop educational materials on “lap and shoulder belts providing the highest level of protection for school bus passengers” — another NTSB recommendation.

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