2013 NASDPTS and NAPT Conferences

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. 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.

Obama signs sleep apnea bill

The bipartisan bill requires the FMCSA to go through a formal notice and comment rulemaking proceeding when issuing guidance on the screening, testing and treatment of commercial drivers for obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. The National School Transportation Association and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services were among the groups advocating for the legislation.

NAPT News & Views — NTSB official, Carrollton film on tap for 2013 Summit

NTSB Vice Chairman Christopher A. Hart will headline the NAPT/NASDPTS joint session. Emmy-nominated writer and historian Daniel Blake Smith will present a screening of the film “Impact: After the Crash,” a reenactment of the catastrophic 1988 bus crash in Carrollton, Ky., that shares inspirational stories of survivors.  

Sleep apnea bill passes House, NASDPTS adds support

The House unanimously passes the bipartisan bill that aims to prevent the FMCSA from issuing guidance on sleep apnea testing for commercial drivers without a formal rulemaking. The state directors association joins NSTA and other groups in advocating for the legislation, which the Senate will now consider.

Grand Rapids conferences to cover crash results, security, KPIs

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.

FMCSA withdraws training proposal for commercial vehicle drivers

The 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would have required additional training for entry-level operators of commercial vehicles — including school buses — who cross state lines. Officials say on Thursday that the proposal was withdrawn “because commenters to the NPRM, and participants in the agency’s 2013 public listening sessions, raised substantive issues which have led the agency to conclude that it would be inappropriate to move forward with a final rule based on the proposal.”

Education, transportation secretaries support yellow buses

Staff members at the Tucson (Ariz.) Unified School District bus depot are joined on Wednesday morning by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. The duo discuss the importance of bus drivers in school safety, and they ride along on a school bus before participating in a service project at a local middle school.

85K stop-arm violations in national count

This year’s survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services finds 85,279 violations in a single day, which is down from last year’s count of 88,025. More than half (57.5%) of the vehicles passed the buses from the front, while 42.5% of those counted passed the buses from the rear.

State directors: NTSB findings will be 'roadmap' for enhancing safety

NASDPTS says that the federal agency's investigation of the Chesterfield, N.J., school bus crash pointed out a number of student transportation concerns, including driver fatigue and medications. Also, NASDPTS says that the findings reinforce the association's support of lap-shoulder belts for school buses, as long as funding is made available for them.