5 incidents that never should have happened

While each of these occurrences involved children being stranded on a school bus, there are unusual — and in some cases even shocking — details in the different stories that are worth reviewing.

Heavy snow forces closure of bus garage

Forest Lake Area Schools officials cite structural concerns since the garage, a pole barn that was built in 1961, has broken beams. It was being used to house 25 of the district’s vehicles and is expected to be torn down.

Ice, snow cited as factors in 2 school bus crashes

Police say that no children were injured in the separate incidents, which both happened on Friday in southern Indiana. In one crash, a minivan hit a patch of ice and slid into a school bus. In the other, a bus slid off a roadway and into a ditch.

Pupil Transportation in Pictures — Winter 2014

Snowstorm leaves students stranded overnight

Thousands of students in the Atlanta area spent Tuesday night at school or, in some cases, even on buses because of a winter storm that froze up traffic. The National Guard came to the aid of some 95 stranded school buses, delivering food and water to the students and getting the buses moving. "We had cleared them all by [Wednesday] morning, and that was a big task," Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says.

In harsh cold, school buses serve as warming stations

With temperatures hovering in the single digits on Thursday, Nashville residents who needed a break from the bitter cold could climb aboard a "Mobile Warming Station" — also known as a yellow school bus. The city's Office of Emergency Management partnered with Metro Nashville Public Schools for the innovative program.

Report: Blue Bird propane bus performs well in cold temps

Officials from school districts and bus companies on the East Coast and in the Midwest report easy starting, quick warm-up and quiet operation of the propane Vision school buses in their fleets during the recent cold snap. Blue Bird says propane autogas’ natural properties keep the fuel in a constant liquid form, free from freezing or gelling, and the liquid form provides better control of the air-to-fuel ratio, resulting in excellent start-up dependability.

Frigid temperatures cancel bus routes, delay school

From coast to coast in the U.S. and in some Canadian provinces, this week’s cold snap has impacted pupil transportation operations. Issues such as thickened fuel and oil and frozen air lines cause districts to cancel bus service and close schools or delay school start times.

Students, families surprise bus driver with Christmas gifts

Two-time cancer survivor Fred Taylor receives a winter coat and other cold-weather gear. Over the last 20 years that Taylor has been a bus driver, he has gained a significant amount of support from the community because of his positive attitude and compassion.

Webasto: Test results show benefits of pre-heated engines

An independent emissions testing lab recently tested the effects of a Webasto coolant heater on the emissions performance of a diesel engine. Emissions data show that the start-up temperature has a significant effect on the engine emissions and overall performance of diesel particulate filters.