Students with autism can become overwhelmed by the noise and crowded space on a school bus. Drivers and aides can help by accessing transportation plan information to minimize triggers, establishing consistent routines, and giving calm, clear direction.
Eighteen-year-old Sam Bryant is attempting to board his school bus when he is hit by a vehicle illegally passing the bus. He is transported and released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Pollard talks about creating a successful annual driver training event, his passion for serving special-needs students, and the “special ride” he was able to coordinate for a student with autism.
Bud Fears represented both the school bus and paratransit segments, and played a key role in expanding the company’s wheelchair securement market in the Midwest region.
The survey covers such topics as driver pay, student ridership, and special-needs bus equipment.
The securement equipment supplier recognized Dan Ellison, an occupational therapist and driving specialist at the Shepherd Center, for his success in the personal mobility industry and his ability to provide individualized training for mobility device passengers.
Rochester Public Schools equips the van with the AbiliTrax Shift N Step, a dual-entry system to provide transportation service to ambulatory students and those who use wheelchairs.
Dean Transportation teaches drivers and aides the skills so they can better understand what a variety of students experience on the school bus.
Harris County School District’s new buses feature an assigned seat for each student that is customized for the equipment they need.
Russ Clark, a driver for Rockford Public Schools, is named 2019 Education Support Staff Professional of the Year by the Michigan Department of Education.
The securement supplier will honor a special-needs school bus driver for their standout service for the third year in a row. The winner will receive $1,000.
The group from Moore Norman Technology Center in Oklahoma work together to create a wheelchair ramp for a family after seeing their need for a new one.
Jean M. Micklevitz of Illinois allegedly punches a boy in the face and tells the bus driver that he hit his head on the window. She is charged with aggravated battery to a child under 13.
A 7-year-old student who is nonverbal and has autism is left alone on the bus for about six hours until she is found by school district officials.
The Massachusetts transportation director has used his knack for problem-solving to make routing more efficient, cofound a state association, and lay the groundwork to bring all his district’s bus service in-house.
In honor of our February 2020 special-needs issue, check out these photo submissions and those from previous stories highlighting special-needs transporters and the important aspects of their job.
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