PHOTOS: A look back at a California district

California Highway Patrol approves all-electric school bus

Technology company Adomani and the Gilroy Unified School District collaborated to produce a solar fueled, all-electric, 50 passenger, Type D school bus. CHP approval was the final step before the converted school bus was cleared to transport students, and it makes its debut this school year.

Man charged with road rage against school bus

In Aptos, California, a school bus driver and his 3-year-old passenger escape injury when a Toyota Corolla driver forces the bus off the road and then intentionally backs into it, police say. The motorist leaves the scene but is arrested three days later.

Father of autistic student attacks son’s bully on bus

According to police, Burnis Hurd boards the bus with his son, who points out a boy who had been bullying him, and Hurd grabs the boy by the hair, raises him out of his seat, pushes him on the side of the bus, threatens to kill him and uses threatening language with other students. Hurd was placed in jail on $50,000 bond.

Converted electric school bus debuts at California district

In a new pilot project, Gilroy Unified School District handed over an old diesel school bus and got it back as an electric school bus. In addition to the conversion, the district was supplied with a solar array to help generate electricity to power the bus.

Bus driver honored for role in school success

Henry Bell, a school bus driver for Roseville (Calif.) Joint Union High School District’s transportation department, is one of California's six Classified School Employees for 2014. Bell was nominated for maintaining a safe bus, working effectively to resolve issues with students and parents, and for how he builds relationships with students and staff.

The trouble with cutting bus service

Increased traffic around schools is one of the key problems. In situations like this, long lines of vehicles often build up in the morning and afternoon.

California district ends school bus pilot program

In March, Etiwanda School District launched a "shared cost model" pilot transportation program for students who live at least 3 miles from school. District officials say that the program "did not generate the interest nor the revenue that was expected," and the board decides to discontinue it after the last day of school.

District expects activity buses to save $4,000 per trip

Southern California's William S. Hart Union High School District specs the Blue Bird Type D buses to turn them into activity buses, outfitting them with coach-style seating, overhead open storage compartments and ducted air-conditioning systems. Director of Transportation Richard Varner estimates that using these buses will cost around $2,000 per trip on the longest trips, compared to $6,000 for a charter bus.

California Highway Patrol awarded for school bus safety efforts

The law enforcement agency, which annually inspects more than 23,000 school buses in the state and plays a key role in certifying school bus drivers, wins the 2014 California State Child Safety Award. The honor is presented by the Child Safety Network.