District's new plan targets better bus evacuation drills

At Bedford (Ohio) City School District, officials say that changes in the school bus evacuation drill program have led to safer and more focused training for students and staff. Supervisor of Transportation Patrick Carney shares the details on the new drill system.

Crash averted when school bus stalls on train tracks

In Norwalk, Conn., a school bus reportedly experiences a mechanical malfunction as it is crossing railroad tracks, leaving it stranded. The bus driver evacuates the 40 elementary students on board, and the operator of an approaching commuter train is able to stop 10 feet before the bus.

Student, father fix training bus, save district up to $9K

Zach D’Souza, 15, and his father, Henry D’Souza, repair Buster the School Bus for Poway (Calif.) Unified School District. The bus is more than a dozen years old and has not been used for the last several years because it was broken.

New student training from School Bus Safety Co.

The company's three new educational courses teach children how to be safe in and around their school buses. They are age-specific for three groups: pre-K to grade 2, grades 3 to 5, and grades 6 and above.

Overturned bus training an ‘eye-opener’ for staff

More than 80 people in Van Buren County, Mich., participate in an emergency training event that shows them what it feels like to be in an overturned school bus as well as one filled with smoke. Transportation Supervisor Mark Niewoonder shares details on the hands-on event and how it changed staff members’ perceptions.

Emergency Training in an Overturned Bus

Physical therapists are valuable resource for transportation

From providing information on disabilities and how they will impact the school bus ride to offering tips for proper wheelchair securement and evacuations, these individuals can greatly assist in safely transporting special-needs students. In the new school year, they should be involved in planning and training sessions.

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.

Specific special-needs evacuations: TBI and near drowning

Students who have suffered a traumatic brain injury or near drowning will require close physical safeguards and assistance in a bus evacuation. The commotion could set off a seizure.

Specific Special-Needs Evacuations: OI

Students with osteogenesis imperfecta have bones that break easily. In spite of the urgency of a school bus evacuation, these passengers must be moved slowly and carefully.