
U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) introduces legislation in the House of Representatives that would set minimum penalties nationwide for stop-arm running. The bill would also mandate that all states require background checks for school bus drivers, and it would create a school bus seat belt demonstration program, among other measures.
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Residents in Marshfield pass an article that requires all school buses used by the local school district for regular routes, sporting events and field trips to be equipped with three-point seat belts, starting in 2016. Resident Stephen Lynch, who brought forth the article, says that students will not be required to wear the belts, but they would “have the choice to be protected.”
Read More →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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In an exclusive interview with SBF, Tony Everett, vice president of transportation solutions at HSM, says that the company is developing a new school bus seat that will be lighter, more durable and more ergonomic. But beyond the more practical features, Everett says, “We want it to be a sexy school bus seat — we want it to be cool.”
Read More →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. ...
Read More →School buses ordered for purchase on or after July 1, 2014, would have to be equipped with the belts, and drivers and passengers would be required to use them under the legislation that was recently introduced. A violation of the seat belt requirements would result in a $50 fine.
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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.
Read More →We believe our response to NTSB’s recommendations documents a position that seeks the clarity and facts your community and state policymakers demand when making important decisions affecting school bus operations.
Read More →Starting with the 2014-15 school year, the buses used at Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Mo., will be equipped with three-point seat belts, and a monitor will be on board to make sure that the students are strapped in. Officials make the decision after 22 students were injured last year when their bus tipped onto its side en route to a camp.
Read More →In the debate on whether seat belts are a good fit for large school buses, it seems that the best insight comes from those who actually have experience with the restraints in their fleet. SBF Executive Editor Thomas McMahon hit the road in November to visit Buellton USD and another district in Santa Barbara County, Goleta USD. Both had interesting perspectives to share about their fleets and the environments in which they operate.
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