State records show a Minnesota school bus contractor repeatedly operated vehicles that state inspectors had placed out of service for safety violations, but prosecutors rarely filed charges, reported ABC 5.

The investigation reportedly followed a high-profile crash involving a Pride Transportation school bus last spring. The bus carrying students reportedly lost control and struck a building on the Hamline University campus, injuring three children and an adult.

According to the news report, records indicate the Minnesota State Patrol caught Pride Transportation operating school buses marked out of service at least 16 times since 2020. State inspection rules prohibit those buses from returning to service until identified defects are repaired, and the vehicles pass reinspection.

In one instance, a trooper reportedly found five out-of-service Pride buses transporting students in St. Paul. The citation referenced the company’s history of operating buses after failed annual inspections. About 85 percent of the company’s buses failed their latest inspections this year, according to state records cited in the report.

A former participant in the inspection process, who requested anonymity to protect his employment, alleged that some buses returned to service without repairs after receiving out-of-service decals. “We’d apply the out-of-service decal, and they say they’d get it fixed and then it would be en route that evening with nothing fixed,” he said.

An attorney representing Pride Transportation declined an interview and offered no comment. However, a company driver previously told local news reporters that buses sometimes failed for minor issues that were repaired, and that failed buses were not driven.

Troopers reportedly requested criminal charges in nearly every cited instance involving an out-of-service bus, the investigation found. Minnesota lawmakers increased the offense from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor in 2023, but court records reportedly show prosecutors have filed the charge only once since the change.

St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao reportedly said there was insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges in the cases reviewed by her office. Kao did not respond to any additional questions.

The investigation also identified a previously unreported crash last May in Edina. A Pride bus without students reportedly crossed a parking lot and struck a house. Investigators could not determine the exact cause but cited possible driver error. Inspectors also concluded the bus should not have left the garage because of critical safety problems, including a severely worn tire.

Written with the assistance of AI.

Related: Miranda’s Law to Combat Unsafe School Bus Drivers
Related: UPDATED: National School Bus Inspection Training Returns to STN EXPO East
Related: Georgia School District Removes Multiple Bus Drivers Over Safety Violations
Related: A Pre-Trip Inspection a Day Keeps the Lawyers Away

The post Minnesota Bus Company Allegedly Operated Unsafe School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is conducting a three-day School Bus Safety Outreach event to increase public awareness and reinforce safe driving practices around school buses statewide, reported KXGL News.

The initiative running Sept. 8-10 includes partnerships between state troopers and local school districts. Troopers are observing school bus routes and loading zones while monitoring whether motorists comply with South Dakota’s school bus stopping laws.

According to the news report, marked patrol vehicles are visible near school bus stops, loading areas and high-traffic routes where students board and exit buses. The increased presence is intended to remind drivers about their responsibilities, discourage dangerous behavior and help protect children traveling to and from school.

“School bus safety is a shared responsibility,” Highway Patrol Capt. Jon Stahl said via the article. “Our presence during these three days is meant to educate drivers, support school districts and reinforce that stopping for school buses isn’t optional, it’s essential for protecting children.”

As part of the outreach, troopers are following select school buses along their regular routes to observe how nearby motorists respond. They will also position marked patrol vehicles near loading zones to increase law enforcement visibility.

Additionally, troopers are conducting targeted safety operations to identify violations and encourage motorists to comply with school bus safety laws. The South Dakota Highway Patrol will provide safety reminders and information to community members and news media throughout the initiative.

Motorists should remain alert when approaching school buses and anticipate frequent stops, particularly during morning and afternoon travel times. Drivers should slow down around buses and watch carefully for students who may be walking near the roadway or crossing the street.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol also reminded motorists that they must stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights. Drivers should remain stopped until the lights are deactivated, and it is safe to continue traveling.

Officials said seemingly small actions behind the wheel, including reducing speed, avoiding distractions and stopping as required, can prevent potentially tragic incidents.

The outreach reflects the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s effort to work alongside school districts and communities to promote safer travel for students across the state at the beginning of the school year.

Written with the assistance of AI.

Related: Police Officers Watching for Illegal Passers to Ride Middle Tennessee School Buses
Related: Tennessee Police Urge Caution as Students Return to School
Related: Michigan Police Department Hosts ‘Stuff-A-Bus’ Drive for Students
Related: Texas Sixth Grader Wins National School Bus Safety Poster Contest

The post South Dakota Highway Patrol Launches School Bus Safety Outreach Week appeared first on School Transportation News.

Calaveras Unified School District officials in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills said a school bus driver followed district protocols during a disturbance last month that resulted in a parent allegedly breaking glass on the bus loading door and entering through a window.

Superintendent Kassie Meeks told School Transportation News that the bus had arrived at a scheduled Aug. 24 stop, when the driver took the opportunity to address students about their behavior. There had reportedly been yelling, screaming and other disruptive behavior while the bus was moving.

“Our goal is to ensure that students follow appropriate behavior expectations so the driver can safely operate the bus and maintain the safety of everyone on board,” Meeks said.

Meeks shared that district officials reviewed bus video footage and determined the driver spent approximately four minutes addressing student behavior, reviewing bus expectations and asking students to calm down. During that time, one student exited through a bus window.

Shortly afterward, a parent arrived on the scene and began aggressively banging on the bus loading door, ultimately breaking the glass. Law enforcement was immediately contacted, and the California Highway Patrol was notified because damage to a school bus with students aboard triggers specific state safety protocols, she added.

The parent then climbed through an open bus window while authorities were responding, according to Meeks. An adult outside the bus could also reportedly be heard encouraging students to exit through the windows, and additional students subsequently did so.

Meeks said law enforcement arrived approximately 14 minutes after the bus reached the scheduled stop. Students remaining onboard were directed to stay seated and calm while authorities investigated.

STN contacted the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office for comment about the arrest and circumstances surrounding the incident but had not received a response as of this writing. But according to local news reports citing the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, the parent broke glass while striking the bus door and was arrested on suspicion of vandalism.

Neither the driver nor any students were injured, Meeks confirmed.

The district also disputed claims that students had been held on the bus for more than an hour before the situation escalated.

“Regarding the driver, after reviewing the video footage, the district believes the driver acted appropriately under extremely challenging circumstances,” Meeks said. “His focus remained on student safety, maintaining order and attempting to de-escalate the situation.”

Meeks told STN the driver has returned to the regular route. The bus sustained damage to the glass in its door and underwent repairs.

The district determined the driver followed appropriate protocols and has not identified a need to change its transportation procedures because of the incident, Meeks said. However, she said officials will continue reviewing practices and reinforcing safety expectations with employees and students.

Calaveras County is known for its Giant Sequoias, Mark Twain’s story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and as a key area of mining during the state’s Gold Rush of the mid-1880’s.

Related: Missouri Parent Boards School Bus, Tells Child to Assault Another Student
Related: Tennessee Mom Attacks Bus Driver After Son Can’t Get Off Bus
Related: Mother Faces Charges After Allegedly Assaulting School Bus Driver
Related: Iowa Parents Claim School Bus Driver Forced Son Off Miles from Home

The post Parent’s Vandalism Arrest Results from School Bus Disturbance in California Gold Country appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Gwinnett County school bus driver in Georgia was  sentenced to five years in prison and lifelong registration as a sex offender after being convicted of masturbating on board his bus while students were present.

Steven Edward Wilkins, 67, was found guilty of six counts of child molestation and four counts of public indecency. He had worked as a school bus driver for students with special needs in the Gwinnett County School System.

The investigation reportedly began Feb. 9, 2023, after a parent walking her child to the bus reported seeing Wilkins behaving suspiciously.

Prosecutors said investigators reviewed footage from cameras installed on the bus. The video showed Wilkins using a tablet sexually stimulating himself while the bus was parked in the bus lane at Suwanee Elementary School.

The conduct occurred on at least four days between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, prosecutors said. At least one student was on board the bus during each incident. Officials did not release the ages of the students or provided additional information about them.

The Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office also noted that Wilkins portrays Santa Claus each Christmas at a local church.

A judge sentenced Wilkins to 20 years of close supervision by law enforcement authorities, including five years in prison. Following his release, Wilkins will be required to register as a sex offender for life and will be prohibited from having contact with minors.

“This is absolutely reprehensible behavior and will not be taken lightly,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson told local reporters. “We are committed to protecting all victims, particularly those who are most vulnerable. This defendant will be monitored closely for the next 20 years and held accountable for the rest of his life.”

Officials did not provide information about when Wilkins stopped working for the school district. The district’s response to the conviction was not immediately available. No other details about the court proceedings were immediately released.

Related: Ohio School Bus Driver Arrested on Alleged Sex Crimes Involving Minors
Related: Former School Bus Driver Sentenced to 16 Years for Sexual Assault
Related: Former Arizona School Bus Driver Arrested on Child Molestation Charges
Related: Former School Bus Monitor Indicted on Child Molestation Charges

The post School Bus Driver for Students with Special Needs Convicted of Sex Crimes appeared first on School Transportation News.

San Francisco transportation officials in California approved a plan to lower speed limits near approximately 230 public and private school campuses citywide as part of an effort to improve safety for students and their families, reported CBS News.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors approved the plan last week. The changes will be implemented over the next two years and will establish a default speed limit of 20 mph near schools while expanding the locations where 15 mph limits may be used.

School zones throughout San Francisco reportedly have speed limits of either 15 mph or 25 mph. According to the agency, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph has approximately a 90 percent chance of surviving. That chance falls to about 20 percent when a vehicle is traveling 40 mph.

“As families get ready for the new school year, they deserve to know that they’ll be sending their kids out to safer streets so they can get to class and back home, every day, without fear,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said the lower speed limits represent an important step toward protecting students, supporting families and making streets safer for everyone. Officials plan to implement lower limits near several campuses before the new school year begins. Those schools include Dr. William L. Cobb Elementary, Leonard R. Flynn Elementary, St. Anthony-Immaculate Conception School, Jefferson Elementary, Roosevelt Middle and Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.

The expanded limits were reportedly made possible by Assembly Bill 382, which the California Legislature passed zone5. The agency is also pursuing other traffic safety improvements around campuses. Planned measures include more than 40 school-zone crossing improvements and daylighting at more than 2,300 intersections near schools.

Crossing guards and Safe Routes to School programs will continue supporting student safety. Additionally, a project is underway near Mission Bay Elementary School to install protected bicycle lanes and high-visibility crossings. The school is scheduled to open in August.

Written with the assistance of AI.

Related: Action Plan Puts National Spotlight on Hidden Toll of Illegal Passing
Related: NHTSA Extends Public Comment on Speed Limit Proposal
Related: Scientific Approach to Illegal Passing Issue Coming to STN EXPO West
Related: New York Man Arrested for Speeding Past a Stopped School Bus

The post San Francisco Approves Lower Speed Limits Near 230 Schools appeared first on School Transportation News.