Not all school districts are alike when it comes to their fleet routing and planning processes. Districts have either large or smaller fleets, and many still use manual, cumbersome systems to tackle some of the most challenging aspects of their jobs. GIS technology can bring value to every aspect of our transportation operations including routing, […]
For this in-depth Q&A, School BUSRide spoke with Jonathan Bentley, director of the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute (PTSI), a leading provider of resources and training for school bus drivers in support of their goal of the safe, efficient transportation of children. To learn more about the PTSI and its programs, please visit https://ptsi.org/. Please introduce […]
The marriage of AI-enabled, predictive technology and stop arm camera ticketing systems: delivering real-world safety to students despite growing driver distraction. The pandemic didn’t bring much in the way of good, with one exception being a dramatic drop in illegal school bus passing. With the pandemic now firmly in our rear view, so are those […]
As the director of transportation for White Bear Lake Area Schools, in in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Mike Turitto is responsible for a district transportation department running approximately 100 daily routes and serving over 3,400 bus stop locations within a 45 square mile district. Between 12 different schools, Turitto’s department runs hundreds of trips in […]
Stay safe and avoid noncompliance fines The vehicle lifts that are supporting the school buses in your garage can represent one of the most productive tools in your shop, or potentially one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment you own if not used and maintained properly. If there were an incident in your garage […]
It’s a wonderful time of the year! So goes the song. This wonderful time of the year happens to be the October perennial known as “School Bus Safety Week.” This is OUR week! What can we celebrate during this week? What can you do to commemorate it in your operation? Why does it matter? So, […]
School BUSRide spoke with National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy. Homendy is the 15th chair of the NTSB after being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Created in 1967, the NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and […]
Stop-arm violations are an incredibly critical issue for the school bus industry. We have all heard the troubling stories associated with cars not stopping for school buses with stop arms extended. Pupil transportation professionals know the situation is dire, yet it often takes a tragedy to initiate expenditure and awareness discussions between districts, law enforcement, […]
School BUSRide spoke with David Cooper, industry engagement manager for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), about the role of DHS/TSA in pupil transportation, the many programs which are specialized for pupil transportation, and how school bus professionals can be proactive in security matters. Tell us a little […]
“Essential workers.” “First people children see every day.” “Critical to children’s education.” Most of us have said these things, with good cause, about our school bus drivers…which makes the current rash of violent acts against drivers so hard to reconcile. As the 2021-22 school year nears the first quarter mark, it has been marked by […]