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Newsby StaffAugust 19, 2013

Alabama urges motorists to be safe around school buses

As the new school year approaches, the state Department of Education’s Pupil Transportation Unit reminds drivers of the recently passed Charles Poland Jr. Act, which makes school bus trespassing a Class A misdemeanor. The office also reminds drivers of the state’s laws regarding stopping for school buses.

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NewsAugust 13, 2013

Public outcry over decision to end regular-ed bus service

Hoover (Ala.) City Schools holds a forum to address the board of education’s decision to stop the service with the 2014-15 school year, and parents, students and other community members attend and tell school officials that their decision was a mistake. The district’s superintendent says he is still exploring other variations of the plan, such as phasing in the bus cuts over a longer period of time.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonJuly 18, 2013

Alabama district to end regular-ed transportation

Hoover City Schools officials expect that ending the service — to go into effect in August 2014 — will save more than $2.5 million per year. The district cites "sharply declining revenues" as a key factor in the decision.

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Newsby StaffJuly 15, 2013

Charles Poland named a School Bus Champion

The Alabama school bus driver receives a posthumous School Bus Champion Award from the American School Bus Council for his actions to protect his bus passengers during a standoff with a gunman. Dale County Schools Superintendent Donny Bynum, who accepted the award on behalf of Poland’s family, says, “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Mr. Poland and what he did. He is the definition of a hero.”

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Newsby StaffMarch 19, 2013

Alabama students honored for actions during bus hijacking

Dr. Thomas Bice, Alabama’s superintendent of schools, presents proclamations to each of the students who were on their school bus when it was hijacked by gunman Jimmy Lee Dykes, who allegedly shot driver Charles Poland and then abducted one student. Bice says the students displayed safety skills that Poland taught them, and he recounts how the students loved Poland.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 27, 2013

Alabama event honors school bus drivers, including Charles Poland

At a celebration held at Transportation South, Harry Leach of Trussville City Schools is named Alabama's Love the Bus driver of the year. A moment of silence is observed for Charles Poland, the driver who was fatally shot while protecting his passengers in Midland City.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 12, 2013

More details on Alabama bus driver’s heroic response

The confrontation between an armed intruder and school bus driver Charles Poland lasted more than four minutes, with Poland standing in the aisle to block the gunman from his students and refusing to move, according to a report from CNN. Meanwhile, students in the back of the bus opened the rear emergency exit so they could escape.

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Newsby Thomas McMahonFebruary 7, 2013

Road by hostage site expected to be named for Charles Poland

Under a resolution passed by the Alabama Legislature, a half-mile stretch of U.S. 231 in Dale County would be designated the "Charles 'Chuck' Albert Poland, Jr., Memorial Highway," after the school bus driver who was fatally shot in the line of duty.

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NewsFebruary 6, 2013

Florida district takes part in Alabama bus driver’s funeral

Nearly 30 school bus drivers and the director of transportation from Florida’s Escambia County School District drove to Ozark, Ala., on Sunday to attend the funeral of fellow driver Charles Poland, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Here is an account of their moving experience.

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Newsby StaffFebruary 4, 2013

Blue Bird welcomes Ala. dealer to network

Busworx Blue Bird has six factory-authorized locations throughout the state that will offer school bus and parts sales, along with service for customers. Officials say Yancey Bus Sales transferred its Alabama territory to Busworx Blue Bird to fully focus on growing its market share in Georgia.

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