Ohio state director Pete Japikse steps down

The 32-year veteran of pupil transportation retires from state service, but he will soon begin a new role with the Ohio School Boards Association in which he says he will “continue working with the great people in this business.”

National survey finds 88K stop-arm passes

NASDPTS reports that the one-day sample represents nearly 16 million violations in one school year, up from about 13 million based on the 2011 count. Executive Director Bob Riley tells SBF that the results show that stop-arm running is "still a serious problem."

NASDPTS to create model pre-trip evacuation briefing

The action is part of the state pupil transportation directors’ response to a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation, which stemmed from the fatal school bus crash in Gray Summit, Mo.

States launch 2nd national stop-arm running count

The inaugural survey found that more than 76,000 vehicles illegally passed school buses in a one-day snapshot. This year, NASDPTS aims to get more states involved in the count and to keep raising awareness about the pervasive problem.

Feds show school bus support

At the annual conference of state pupil transportation directors, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland touts the safety and environmental benefits of the “humble yellow school bus,” as he calls it. NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman credits state directors and others in the industry for their work to prevent school bus-train crashes.

Postcards From Cincinnati

Bus security DVD sent to nation’s school districts

The Transportation Security Administration is mailing the School Bus First Observer and School Transportation Security Awareness programs to around 15,000 public school districts, urging administrators to use them for in-service training. Agency official Steve Sprague also tells SBF that First Observer will continue beyond the three-year grant that created it.

School bus officials cite concerns on flammability lobbying

Chemical companies are reportedly funding a nonprofit group that is lobbying state legislatures to adopt additional flammability standards for school buses. A new position paper from NASDPTS explains that the standards being proposed aren't suited for pupil transportation — and the industry's own national specifications are actually more stringent.

Q&A: NASDPTS' Mike Simmons strives for team efforts

Kicking off his second year as NASDPTS president, Mike Simmons focuses on promoting pupil transportation with other associations and the feds. He also aims to get more states involved in a national stop-arm running survey.