New Jersey district boosts training with bus crash drill

Perth Amboy Public Schools' transportation department conducts the full-scale drill in partnership with the city's police and fire departments, as well as EMS personnel and students, to better prepare all involved in the event of a real emergency. Transportation Manager Edmund Treadaway discusses the event, which was nine months in the making.

PHOTOS: Boosting Training with Bus Crash Drill

Districts are in the transportation business

School districts’ primary responsibility is to educate children. But that doesn’t mean it’s their only responsibility. Pupil transportation is still a part of the overall service that the district provides for the public.

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.

Districts are in the transportation business

A school board member at a Virginia district told the Washington Post, “We are not in the transportation business. We are in the education business.” That statement seems misguided and even unsettling. Yes, school districts’ primary responsibility is to educate children. But that doesn’t mean it’s their only responsibility. …

Bus driver honored for saving 2 kids from floodwaters

Ricardo Ramos, a driver and trainer for Student Transportation of America, is named the Southern California School Bus Driver of the Year by the California Highway Patrol for getting the siblings to safety after they were washed away in the storm water last summer. Ramos humbly accepts the award, saying, “I really didn’t expect any of this. I was just in the right place at the right moment.”

Contractor Survey: We want your input

SBF is currently conducting its 2014 Contractor Survey, and questions will address such topics as driver recruitment, federal regulations impacting pupil transportation and cutting costs. Managers and executives at school bus companies are encouraged to submit responses by the May 9 deadline.

Protect your operation with video surveillance

False claims made against school bus drivers or other transportation staff have the potential to damage reputations and cause legal problems if a district or bus company is unable to prove what occurred during the incident in question. Equipping buses with cameras and DVRs can offer protection by providing undisputable evidence in these situations and others, such as accidents. Here's a roundup of the technology utilized by operations around the country.

HSM working on ‘next generation’ of school bus seating

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.”

NAPT, Zonar offer $50K equipment grants

The association and the company are making the grants available for equipment and hardware provided by Zonar. Any NAPT member in good standing is encouraged to apply by the Oct. 15 deadline.