CLEVELAND, Ohio — The School Bus Safety Company (SBSC) announced today they have just completed the creation of a new Safety Leadership Training Course for school bus managers, supervisors, dispatchers and trainers.
This Safety Leadership Course is an advanced educational course for all levels of leadership in the school bus industry. It can be delivered online or from a thumb drive. The course includes seven training programs and a 40-question final exam.
Jeff Cassell, President of SBSC, explained, “There are no bad troops, only bad officers. The most important factor in providing safe student transportation is the leadership provided by the location management. In many cases, management are promoted senior drivers who have never been fully trained in leadership. Completing and implementing this course now finalizes our trifecta of school bus safety.”
Jeff then added, “When leaders, trainers and drivers work together to do all they can to do it right, the first time, every time in everything they do, then you truly have a Safety Culture.
Going through this course ensures that every member of the leadership team knows all the techniques and practices they can perform to provide the safest most effective training for their drivers.
Good leaders are rare because we never make the time and effort to help them become professionally trained leaders. They are usually left to figure it out for themselves. Going through this course will enable leaders to gain a whole new set of skills to provide the best leadership they possibly can.”
Contact the School Bus Safety Company to obtain a preview of the course and experience how this training course will take your leaders to a whole new level.
To purchase this course, or obtain further information, view our website at www.schoolbussafetyco.com
Many school transportation operators I have spoken with lately continue to struggle with finding qualified school bus drivers, mechanics and fleet managers. But how are they marketing themselves?
Are we simply being out-marketed by other companies and industries that are seeking candidates in the same job categories? How do you compete against corporate giants like Amazon and Walmart for talent? Marketing to qualified candidates seeking jobs in 2025 demands forward-thinking. Social media platforms like TikTok (if your district allows it), YouTube Shorts, Facebook and Instagram continue to gain traction and popularity, and both offer paid and free opportunities.
Executing a paid media strategy allows you to fine tune your target audience within your hyperlocal community, using geographic and demographic data like relevant job titles, certifications (CDL holders) or interest groups to reach key candidates. That could be retirees looking for meaningful part-time work, a stay-at-home parent wanting mid-day flexibility in their schedule, military veterans with transferable logistics skills, or gig economy workers seeking stability.
My suggestion is to build a thoughtful and authentic content strategy. The team of school transportation professionals that work in your operation are your biggest assets. Those individuals can share stories of why your district or company is a great place to work. It’s word of mouth amplified to the Nth degree. Consider that a video can be used on your website, email and on social media platforms.
Making video clips of team members sharing experiences like a day-in-the-life showcases typical responsibilities of a bus driver or mechanic and gives prospects a realistic and relatable perspective. Testimonials are very powerful, too. Interviews or stories from current employees on job satisfaction, work-life balance and company culture make a real impact. Also, short form reels are great for quick engaging clips of team camaraderie, well-maintained buses, or “behind-the-scenes” fun.
Audience engagement is important for this type of campaign to work. Use ideas like behind-the-scenes tours highlighting facilities, buses, workshops or training areas to reduce job apprehension. Host an interactive Q&A session with HR or current employees to answer applicant questions in real time.
Prospective employees don’t just evaluate your fleet. They evaluate your investment in the overall experience you are demonstrating. That includes newer buses, modern GPS and routing software, and digital tools that streamline daily operations. These can be big selling points to a prospective employee.
Hiring the right people is just the beginning. Retaining them and helping them thrive requires consistent leadership, strategic investment and a culture that blends human empathy with technological support.
Once you’ve built your team, keeping them engaged is key. Many departments now use mobile apps and communication platforms to interact with staff in real time sending schedule updates, reminders and even recognition messages.
An emerging trend is the use of AI to track performance metrics like on-time arrivals, safety records or attendance to trigger personalized recognition or feedback. These tools make appreciation immediate, meaningful and data informed.
Competitive pay is still essential but so is a benefits package that reflects the real lives of employees. Districts offering flexible schedules, retention bonuses and easy-to-access benefits dashboards are seeing greater success in retaining drivers and technicians.
Some districts are providing monthly meals, wellness perks and even transportation specific, career development plans to deepen loyalty and satisfaction.
Positive reinforcement remains one of the most powerful tools for retention. From digital shout-outs to monthly awards, recognition programs create a culture of appreciation. Add ongoing professional development, mentorship and AI-driven training, and you’ve built a workplace people don’t want to leave.
And let’s not forget safety, as recognizing employees can result in a positive impact on performance and morale. Whether through improved communication, fewer accidents or higher job satisfaction, a valued employee is a safer, more committed one. As the world evolves, leaders in school transportation have a chance to embrace change while adjusting to the new standards and norms team members and prospective employees expect.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the June 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
When Kara Sands took a job as a school bus driver at the age of 21, she wasn’t sure how she would like working with children. Today, she’s on a mission to further safety and prevent school bus accidents.
Sands, transportation lead trainer and driver at Hanover Community Schools Corporation in Indiana, was selected to receive the inaugural “Dick Fischer School Bus Safety Scholarship,” a continuing education scholarship named for industry veteran Richard “Dick” Fischer, who successfully petitioned President Richard Nixon in 1972 to create the first federal recognition of National School Bus Safety Week. The scholarship provides one safety-oriented student transportation professional the opportunity to attend the STN EXPO West conference in Reno, Nevada.
Kara Sands said she would like to become a school bus consultant one day, following in the footsteps of Dick Fischer
Sands said her introduction to the world of student transportation began with a surprise pregnancy discovered on her 21st birthday while she was in college. She explained that the bus company she applied to in Illinois offered child-care and paid well, which led to her first job driving a school bus. She discovered that she loved working with the students.
“Kids became everything to me,” said Sands. “Just seeing the smiles on their face and knowing that I could teach them something that they might keep with them for the rest of their lives. That’s my favorite part about driving.”
Sands continued that as her career progressed as a driver, she always wanted to further higher education. In between supporting her husband through various health conditions, she tries to further her career and education.
Despite any setbacks she encounters in life, Sands said her mantra remains the same. “Whatever I try to do, I always try to make sure I do it 100 percent. I try to make the best out of whatever I have,” she shared.
When speaking about her passion for school bus safety, Sands said that she has seen a lot of “close calls.” She shared that a pivotal moment for her was when her daughter’s best friend died in a car crash three years ago. She explained that her drive to train for increased safety “was kind of like a tribute to her, in a way. I looked at the whole accident scene and tried to see what the problems were, what happened, how could this have been prevented. It made me train totally different,” she recalled.
“I ended up putting a face with every story, every lesson,” she said.
Sands continuously works to get the message to as many people as possible to prepare for the worst-case scenario. She continued that awareness has always been a hurdle as she tries to convey to school bus drivers how important their job is and that it’s never “just a job.”
In between her time at her first school bus driver job and starting at Hanover in 2017, Sands said she has driven students pretty much everywhere from Chicago to Indiana in a myriad of environments. She shared that there are unique challenges that come from driving in a cityscape to being on roads made of gravel and sand that could sink under you.
Sands said a resource she has relied on for about six years is Fischer’s email newsletter sent daily throughout the school year to provide news and commentary on safety issues affecting student transportation. She added she appreciated Fischer’s meticulous record keeping and started attending local conferences where she was taught his training. She explained that she hadn’t been interested in some of the more recent conference options, so she emailed Fischer to inquire about potential opportunities. He pointed her to the STN EXPO website, where she discovered the scholarship opportunity and said the education offered was “right up her alley.”
She continued that she has filled every available window of time for her time STN EXPO West, saying she wants to learn “anything and everything” she can. She said she’s looking to share resources and ideas as well as discuss challenging training situations, such as getting through to someone who might have a personality that is hesitant to accept instruction.
“I try to keep an open mind. I try to take it all in, you know, whether someone has got more experience at something than me or not. There’s always something I learn new every day. But sometimes people just don’t see that way…For me that is something I would like to discuss with [other] trainers,” she explained.
In her application for the scholarship, Sands stated that she was specifically looking forward to the “School Bus Accident Investigation: Be Prepared for a Lawsuit” presentation on Friday, July 11 taught by Fischer and Pete Baxter, a former president of both the National Association for Pupil Transportation and National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services as well as an NAPT Hall of Fame inductee. While she said she’s been very fortunate that she has not personally had to handle a school bus crash, she understands that there is a lot to learn in that realm of preparedness. She also noted that she’s interested in seeing different technology and hardware options, such as new stop-arms and equipment for buses used on special needs routes, which will be on display at the Trade Show in Reno.
Sands shared that she would like to see herself step into a safety consultant role like Fischer’s one day. She recalled attending one of Fischer’s classes early on in her career. She laughed remembering that she was 30 seconds late for the class and that Fischer “really let me have it.” But after the class, she called him, and he spent 45 minutes on the phone with her answering her questions.
“Nobody does that. I don’t know anybody that does that.” she said. “I’ll never forget that.”
Registration remains open on-site for the STN EXPO West conference in Reno, Nevada at the Peppermill Resort. Find the conference agenda, speaker information, trade show vendor lists at stnexpo.com/west.
A former school bus driver in Springfield, Illinois, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on child pornography charges, reported WCIA News.
According to the news report, 38-year-old Anthony Marconi was sentenced last Thursday to 23 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of possessing child pornography on a computer and one count of solicitation of child pornography.
Authorities reportedly started looking into Marconi in October, which resulted in a search warrant being signed for his home on East Enos Avenue. He was arrested after that search found evidence of child sex abuse material. Marconi was employed by First Student at the time of his arrest.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul said via the article, “My office will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to protect Illinois children by identifying and holding offenders who prey on them accountable.”
Raoul’s Office co-prosecuted Marconi’s case alongside the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office.
A school bus driver in Sacramento City Schools uses music to unite students across the school district, reported KCRA News.
School bus driver Sunny Eselekhomhen reportedly grew up on a small Nigerian village that he said via the article had limited resources.
As Eselekhomhen drives his afternoon routes, he reportedly hums while singing in a foreign language. He spent most of his youth teaching and performing West African music across Africa and Europe. When Eselekhomhen moved to the U.S. he was even part of Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom act in its early stages.
Once he moved to Sacramento, Eselekhomhen reportedly started working as a school bus driver and eventually began traveling to different schools across the Sacramento City School District to teach West African music to the kids.
As a parent at Leonardo Davinci School, Eselekhomhen started a yearly nine-week drumming program for all the school’s third-grade students. According to the article, he’s taught drums and even sung in his native tongue for 14 years. The kids then put on a concert for their families and friends.
Eselekhomhen told local news reporters that he wants kids to learn music, but the deeper lesson in drumming is about “lifting people up.” He also shares stories about his life as a kid.
“I went to primary and secondary school barefoot with no sandals,” said Eselekhomhen via the article. “[During] rainy season, you just take your clothes off to wrap your books, you don’t have backpacks,” he continued.
Eselekhomhen added that some villages in Nigeria still have living conditions that could be hard for American children to imagine. He went to Africa last spring, and the village he visited, the students in that school did not have drinking water. The students there went from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. without drinking water. Eselekhomhen was inspired to start a project to build a freshwater well for a school in his father’s village.
Students, both current and former, parents, teachers and other people from across the district reportedly made donations to support Eselekhomhen’s project to build the well. A class at Miwok Middle School where Eselekhomhen’s wife works, started its own fundraiser, making arts and crafts to sell.
School bus drivers from across the U.S. and Canada were presented with the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills in the 51st Edition of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition (SBDISC), presented by Beacon Mobility.
On Saturday, June 28, participating drivers — in one of the three bus categories: small bus (Type A), conventional (Type C), or transit (Type D) — first completed a safety competition orientation class followed by a written test. The skills part of the competition was held at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District transportation facility in Uhland, Texas, where contestants got behind the wheel of a school bus and completed a rigorous road course. Hays CISD was designated as the permanent host of the event.
“Transporting students in the yellow bus remains the safest way to get our students to school each day. The School Bus Driver International Safety Competition highlights the professionalism of our school bus drivers that combines a driving competition within an enjoyable atmosphere,” stated NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn. “This yearly event celebrates the cornerstone of pupil transportation – our drivers, who continue to inspire us every day. On behalf of NSTA, I want to extend our thanks to Hays CISD for their support, and we look forward to hosting our competition here next year.”
To be eligible for the international title, drivers must have first competed and won or placed in a state or provincial competition in their bus category within the past year. Winners of the international competition are determined by the highest score in the competition, based on each category. For the first time, the Bill Loshbough Grand Champion Award was awarded to the driver who achieved the overall top score of the entire Safety Competition. This year, it went to Brian Rickmann of Beaverton School District in Oregon.
The awards banquet was held on Sunday, at which the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) honored several drivers who had successfully competed in the SBDISC. All 53 competitors took photographs with NSTA President Dan Kobussen and received a driver’s recognition certificate and plaque denoting their participation in the competition.
“We are pleased to host another edition of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition, guided by the leadership of Bill Loshbough and Kevin Kilner. This respected event gives school bus drivers from across North America the chance to demonstrate their skills and knowledge while competing to be the best in their field,” stated Kobussen, who owns Kobussen Buses in Wisconsin. “It also represents an opportunity for the school transportation community to come together in a spirited, yet supportive, environment that celebrates excellence and professionalism.”
The following are the winners:
Small Bus (Type A):
First Place: Claudia Christen
Prairie Bus Lines – Alberta, Canada
Second Place: Kathleen Graham
Montgomery County Public Schools, Virginia
Third Place: Erika Gaines
Montgomery County Schools, Tennessee
Conventional Bus (Type C):
First Place: Betty Nelson
Dean Transportation, Michigan
Second Place: Philip Purvis
North East ISD, Texas
Third Place: Jered Winnestaffer
Community Bus Services – Groveport-Madison Schools, Ohio
Transit Bus (Type D):
First Place: Brian Rickmann
Beaverton School District, Oregon
Second Place: Danelle Adams
Roseville Joint Union High School District, California
Third Place: Doralie Cervantes
Cypress Fairbanks ISD, Texas
South Bend Community Schools hosted a “Hop and Hire” event to help combat the school bus driver shortage, reported WNDU News.
According to the article, School Bus Career Day, which was held on Saturday morning at 3003 North Bendix Drive, focused on hiring bus drivers to tackle the ongoing shortage. The aim was to hire at least 10 to 15 bus drivers before the upcoming school year.
“What we do here in the community, I think, it’s awareness of what we do, how important our job is to the community,” David Tartt, South Bend Schools’ transportation training coordinator, told local news reporters. “We take care of the most precious cargo that can be transported on the planet, and it’s a huge responsibility and we love what we do.”
Benefits for full-time drivers reportedly include health insurance, paid time off and free CDL training.
According to local news, for four hours, instructors focused on hiring school bus drivers and provided eligible applicants the chance for on-site interviews.
Additionally, attendees reportedly had the chance to drive a school bus under the supervision of trained experts.
The driver of a school van in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, admitted drinking after fleeing a crash while transporting students, reported CBS News.
The driver, identified as 66-year-old Jeffrey Irwin, is facing a total of 27 charges, including multiple counts of DUI, reckless driving, and endangering the welfare of children.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said via the article that Irwin crashed into another vehicle on the 16th Street Bridge before fleeing the scene. He was transporting approximately six 10-year-olds at the time of the incident.
The students on board the van reportedly began contacting their parents to alert them of the situation. Law enforcement tracked down the van through GPS on children’s phones. Authorities located the vehicle and stopped the driver at an intersection. Students were safely returned to their families and there were no reported injuries.
One of the students on board the bus told local news reporters that Irwin almost flipped the bus over and then started moving into other lanes, almost hitting a car.
The criminal complaint states via the article that Irwin admitted to having three to four drinks prior to transporting the students. According to police, he also told an officer that he “self-medicates” with alcohol. Irwin had at least one prior DUI and left the scene of a crash in 2001.
Baldwin-Whitehall School District said via the article that the van was operated by contractor First Student and the driver is not a district employee. The case is under investigation.
School bus drivers are surrounded by driver airbags while they’re on their way to and from work. So, it’s fair to ask: why aren’t frontal airbags in school buses, too?
The simple answer? A car airbag just can’t be easily installed into a school bus. It takes an enormous amount of engineering. While it might sound like a simple upgrade, airbags are not one-size-fits-all. Every airbag system is finely tuned to the vehicle it’s installed in, from the size and shape of the vehicle to how fast it typically moves, even to how the seat and steering wheel are designed. Installing a system that wasn’t made for a school bus just wouldn’t work.
Click image to download 4Front info sheet.
That’s where 4Front comes in. 4Front by IMMI is specifically designed to give drivers extra protection during serious frontal crashes, specifically the kind of crash that would be severe enough to set off an airbag. Industries that already use frontal airbag protection have seen first-hand how this advanced safety system can save lives. Whether in a fire truck rushing to an emergency or a heavy-duty semi-truck crossing the country, IMMI’s 4Front airbags have helped protect drivers from serious injuries in the worst crashes. And now, that same safety technology is available to protect school bus drivers.
What Actually Goes into a School Bus Airbag?
Before any actual crash testing ever happens, IMMI engineers and crash safety experts spend 18-24 months developing and validating a new airbag system for school buses. That time is spent running through multiples stages of development including work like:
Simulation Testing: Computer modeling plays a critical role in the early stages of airbag system development. These simulations allow engineers to predict how a school bus and its driver would respond during a variety of frontal crash scenarios. By analyzing these virtual crash events, engineers can evaluate potential injuries, study how the body moves during impact, and fine-tune the design of the airbag system accordingly. This approach enables IMMI to test and improve safety performance efficiently, reducing the number of full vehicle crashes required, saving time and resources, and helping to ensure that the final system offers the best possible protection when deployed in the real world.
Sled Testing: Before a full school bus is ever crash tested, several tests are run using a specialized setup called a sled test. This test uses real bus parts, like the actual driver seat, seat belt, steering column, and steering wheel, mounted to a platform that simulates a crash. There are normally 3 to 5 runs to figure out the exact speeds where the airbag should or should not deploy. These are called “no fire” (airbag does not go off) and “must fire” (airbag does go off) speeds. Important things to look at during these tests are injury numbers and how the body moves (kinematics) to make sure the system protects the driver correctly. The test setup, or “sled buck,” is built by CAPE, the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation, IMMI’s own crash test and safety engineering partner.
Resonance Testing: Not every part of a school bus is an ideal location for a crash sensor. To ensure accurate performance, various mounting positions are tested to identify the most reliable spots for detecting impact. This process, known as resonance testing, helps confirm that the sensor can distinguish between a true crash event and normal road vibrations. Proper sensor placement is critical to ensure the airbag system deploys only when necessary, contributing to a dependable and effective safety system.
Barrier Testing: Now that all the simulations, initial sled tests run, and sensors mounted in the correct places, it’s time to crash a school bus! As part of the final validation process, barrier crash testing is conducted at CAPE to confirm the airbag system performs as intended in a variety of real-world crash conditions. Multiple barrier types are used to simulate different crash scenarios. Additional tests include the bus hitting the barrier at different angles (not just a head-on collision), to confirm that deployment occurs only in severe frontal crashes. Each test helps confirm that the 4Front airbag system responds the right way in serious crashes, giving drivers the protection they need, only when it’s needed.
This wraps up development for the airbag program for the school bus.
What Can You Do?
If you’re interested in learning more about 4Front airbags to better protect your drivers, here are a few steps you can take:
Every driver deserves to go home safely. Let’s make sure all school bus drivers are protected, too.
Built to Work with Lap-Shoulder Belts
4Front is also designed to work hand-in-hand with another proven safety technology: lap-shoulder belts. More school buses are now being built with these belts because they help keep drivers and students securely in place during a crash, reducing the risk of serious injuries. When used together, lap-shoulder belts and 4Front airbags create a layered safety system that protects the driver from both initial and secondary impacts. If your bus has lap-shoulder belts, you’re already one step ahead. 4Front helps take it even further.
For more than 60 years, IMMI has been a leader in advancing occupant safety across transportation industries. From school buses and commercial trucks to ambulances and fire apparatuses, IMMI designs and manufactures safety systems trusted by OEMs and fleets around the world. With a deep focus on real-world protection and rigorous testing, IMMI has led the way in setting industry standards for seat belts, child seating, and advanced restraint technologies.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
Over 200 Ohio school bus drivers gathered in Mansfield for an emergency training course, reported Fox 8.
The emergency training course held June 16 aimed to help school bus drivers to better understand what it is like trying to evacuate a bus filled with students as it is catching fire, or if the bus has rolled over following a crash.
For one of the exercises, drivers reportedly filled into a bus as if they were students and were encouraged to think as if their students were on board the bus. The bus was filled up with fog to mimic smoke from a fire.
Drivers that attended the training told local news reporters that the experience was far more intense than what they might have been taught in their driver training.
“If you are actually in that situation, it is ten times scarier than training, it’s unbelievable,” said Shardae Taylor of Mansfield, who participated as the driver of the bus that was filled with “smoke” and the one tasked with making sure everyone evacuated safely.
For another scenario, the drivers were led into a school bus that was overturned on its side. For the drill, the bus was drained of fluids, including fuel and oil, but drivers could easily see how disorienting it was inside the overturned bus as they worked to evacuate through vents in the roof, window and a back door.
With the help of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, drivers were also instructed in safety procedures, including where law requires them to place placards on the roadway in the event of a breakdown, cutting seatbelts on buses that have them on board and how to properly use flares.
Jim Sullivan of the Ohio Bus Pre-Service program told local news reporters that part of the funding for the training comes from the Department of Education. Training drivers, particularly in how to react in emergency scenarios, can save lives.
On any given school day, there are reportedly more than 700,000 children across Ohio who ride buses to school. Their safety is in the hands of between 15 and 20 thousand drivers.
The news report states that although the 240 drivers in attendance represent only a small percentage of all school bus drivers across the state, the hope is that they will take what they learn and share it with other drivers in their communities.
A West Virginia school bus driver convicted of DUI after the vehicle he was driving rolled over, crashed and injured more than a dozen students last year, faces a severe sentence, reported WCHS News.
According to the news report, 54-year-old Jeffrey Brannon, was sentenced on Thursday after entering a guilty plea to three counts of DUI causing bodily injury and 16 counts of child neglect, creating a risk of serious bodily injury or death.
Judge Anita Harold Ashley reportedly sentenced Brannon to 22 to 110 years in prison, with each of the sentences for each victim to be served consecutively.
The March 2024 rollover crash occurred along South Calhoun Highway, hospitalizing 19 students who were participating in after-school programming. State Police said via the article that Brannon’s blood alcohol level was recorded at .127 percent over three times the legal limit of .04 percent for commercial driver’s license holders.
One of the injured students, Kevin Wilson who was 14-years-old at the time of the crash, had his leg amputated due to severe injuries. Several students who were on board the bus at the time of the incident and family members of those injured, spoke at the sentencing hearing.
Two high school students in Manchester, New Hampshire, are being recognized for their quick actions in helping their bus driver who became ill during his route.
The incident occurred on May 29 when the bus driver of the school bus transporting Memorial High School students back home. He began feeling unwell and pulled over to the side of the road.
According to a statement from the school, the driver, identified as Annese, radioed for help and told dispatchers he needed medicine. Student passengers Jadiel Mota and Rajahn Carrero, both sophomores at the local high school, quickly stepped up and helped the driver.
Mota told school officials that he had seen things like this happen before, so he immediately moved up from his seat, got on the radio, and tried to communicate the exact location of the bus to dispatch.
Meanwhile, Carrero, helped keep the driver calm. After realizing Annese did not have enough to eat during the day, Carrero asked his fellow riders for food and water.
Carrero told school officials that the whole bus deserved a “shout out” because without them helping, calling 911 and getting the food and water, this situation could have been different. The teen is a member of the Manchester Fire Department’s Junior Fire Explorers program, and he said the incident proved to him he could someday become a firefighter or EMT.
According to school officials, Annese was evaluated and treated for dehydration. He thanked Carrero and Mota but also echoed Carrero’s sentiments that the entire bus deserved praise.
Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel said the statement that the district is relieved Annese is alright and praised the students for their efforts. The district plans to recognize the students at an upcoming school board meeting.
A bus contractor for Boston Public Schools (BPS) is being sued after one of its school driver allegedly caused a crash that injured an 8-year-old student with autism, reported WCVB 5.
The incident reportedly occurred last year, when a school bus veered onto a sidewalk at the Curley School in Jamaica Plain and struck the child, who was walking with a school aide.
According to the article, the lawsuit, filed this month by the child’s family, alleges gross negligence by contractor Transdev and its employees, citing inadequate supervision, failure to ensure alert and competent staff, and systemic safety failures.
The crash was captured by a dashboard camera in the school bus. Footage reportedly shows the bus driver and bus safety monitor, who were not identified, napping in their seats just moments before the driver awoke, started the bus, and swerved into pedestrians standing on the sidewalk.
The injured child’s guardian said the incident almost took her child’s life and that Transdev must be held accountable to protect children and prevent this from ever happening again.
Following the crash, police stated said the bus driver made multiple false claims, including that the bus experienced a “mechanical issue (steering).” But the investigating officer found that all existing mechanical issues on the bus were a result of the crash.
The bus driver also claimed that as he was pulling the bus forward, a vehicle cut in front of him, and that in attempt to avoid the vehicle he turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction but pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal by mistake.
According to the news report, the child sustained a broken femur, which resulted in surgery and months of impatient hospital care and treatment.
The lawsuit follows an independent investigation into school transportation safety by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and BPS, launched after a 5-year-old was struck and killed by a bus in the city’s Hyde Park April 28. The BPS bus driver, identified as Jean Charles, was driving on an expired school bus certificate, which he had been notified about.
Natashia Tidwell, a former federal prosecutor and police officer who specializes in external investigations, will lead the independent review of safety policies and performance under contracts with Transdev, the transportation company that has been contracting with BPS since 2013 to hire, train and manage the district’s approximately 750 school bus drivers.
A Bay District school bus driver has been arrested after being accused of child abuse, reported Panama City News Herald.
The incident reportedly occurred May 13, when school bus driver Stacy Christy Halloran allegedly struck a 12-year-old student in his upper right back with an open hand.
It is unclear what prompted this incident. However, the act was caught on the school bus security video. According to the news report, the slap was so hard that it could be heard in the video, which was taken with a camera located three rows from the front of the bus.
Halloran was reportedly charged with cruelty towards child/abuse without great bodily harm and was removed from duty. Her next court date is July 21.
Bay District’s Superintendent Mark McQueen said via the article that the incident is both troubling and disappointing. The investigation is ongoing.
A group of Manheim Township School District students were recognized for helping their school bus driver, who passed out while driving, reported WGAL 8.
The incident reportedly occurred May 7, when school bus driver Mikel Tiedeken was dropping off students.
Tristan Dibbs, a student that witnessed the incident, told local news reporters that Tiedeken walked toward the stairs of the bus while swaying a little bit to the left and right. In a matter of seconds, Tiedeken fell down the stairs at the front of the bus, scaring the students.
Two students, who were not identified in this writing, called 911 while others tried to figure out what to do next.
Eighth grader Jose Martinez told local news reporters that everyone started to help him. Tenth grader Isabella Gonzalez, who was near the front of the bus, also stated that she tried her best to help and get Tiedeken up from the bottom of the stairs.
According to the article, Tiedeken is okay. His doctor said he suffered a reaction to new medication.
Tiedeken told reporters that the experience filled his heart in a new way and that he was humbled by the immediate action the students took to help him.
Brightbill Transportation, which reportedly runs busing for the district, provided pizza for the students. The teens also received certificates of recognition from the district.
A George Read Middle School bus driver helped a student in New Castle, Delaware by teaming up with a nonprofit organization to provide the student with a wheelchair ramp from her home, reported ABC 6.
The veteran school bus driver, identified as Tim Kelleher, observed each morning that a student’s parents carried their daughter down the front steps of their home on Westbury Drive to reach the bus stop.
According to the news report, Kelleher began reaching out to organizations that could help. He connected with Good Neighbors Home Repair, a nonprofit organization, that built a wheelchair ramp at the student’s home.
Tom MacAuley of Good Neighbors Home Repair told local news reporters that Kelleher saw the need the student’s family had and wanted to facilitate that need.
The article states that this is not the first time Kelleher has gone the extra mile. He helped get a ramp installed for another student in 2019.
A school bus driver in Greenville, Michigan, stopped a stranger from entering a school bus through the rear emergency exit while several students were on board, reported Fox 17.
The incident reportedly occurred Thursday, when a Flat River Academy school bus was transporting students to school. A 17-year-old grabbed the rear emergency door handle while the bus was stopped at a light in an attempt to enter the vehicle.
According to the news report, when the bus started to move the teen was able to get the door open, setting off the emergency door alarm. That’s when the driver stopped the school bus and ran to the back to figure out what was happening.
The driver, who was not identified in this writing, confronted the teen as he was trying to climb into the bus and used his foot to bar entrance and then to close the door.
The Michigan State Police said troppers were already in pursuit of the teen prior to the incident and took him into custody at the scene. The teen is believed to have been involved in the vandalism of a nearby business.
The teen, who has autism, was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. The teen had left his home without his family’s knowledge. The students and staff on board the school bus were not injured during the incident and the driver was able to finish his route without further interruption.
Nestled 20 miles south of Rochester in upstate New York, the York Central School District may be small in size, but it’s making big strides in transportation innovation under the guidance of director of transportation, Tracey Proctor.
With nearly two decades of experience in school transportation, Proctor has brought a fresh, tech-forward approach to the district since her arrival four years ago — a move that has significantly improved efficiency, safety and confidence for both drivers and students.
When Proctor joined York CSD, she came equipped not just with experience, but also a clear vision: she needed better tools to run a more modern and responsive transportation department. Having worked with Transfinder solutions at a previous district, Proctor knew she didn’t want to operate without them.
“As soon as I started, when it came contract time, I said, ‘I really need this [Transfinder technology]. I can’t go any longer without it,’” she recalls.
At the time, York was operating the old-fashioned, “very manual,” Proctor said. “A lot of notebooks. That was it.”
But she knew what she was missing without having Transfinder’s award-winning routing solution.
“Once I started with Transfinder, you just can’t go back,” Proctor said.
Today, York CSD uses Transfinder’s awards-winning Routefinder PLUS and driver app Wayfinder, a combination that has transformed the way the district manages its transportation. York CSD transports just over 400 students daily, with eight large bus runs and eight out-of-district van runs. Like many districts, small and large alike, resources and staffing flexibility are critical.
“We have 18 drivers, and right now we’re doing very well with staffing,” Proctor said, joking: “Please don’t share that with anyone!” Still, the district relies on flexibility, with mechanics and even Proctor herself stepping in to drive when needed. That’s where Wayfinder has made a tremendous difference.
Wayfinder has helped the district when assigning routes to new drivers or substitutes who may not be familiar with the run.
“I don’t print routes anymore,” she said. “I just click on the Wayfinder and say the driver, ‘There it is.’ It’s done and I know that it’s correct.”
The technology is also helping shape the future of York’s driving staff. Those used to driving small vans with fewer students are appreciative of the Routefinder PLUS-built routes displayed on Wayfinder as they travel unfamiliar terrain with more students.
The ease of use of Wayfinder and Routefinder PLUS has also made an impression. Proctor recently completed her Wayfinder training and described the experience as a positive experience.
“I don’t know my way around a computer very well,” she said. “Everyone at Transfinder has been very helpful. They take their time with me. I should say, they speak my language. They didn’t speak ‘technical talk.’ The classes were very, very down-to-earth and I was able to understand everything that was put in front of me.”
That kind of client-centered support, combined with reliable and intuitive software, is what motivated Proctor to bring Transfinder technology to York in the first place.
Looking ahead, Proctor is considering how she can use Transfinder technology even more strategically, including using Wayfinder in recruiting. “I never have in the past, but now that I know how it works and how it helps the drivers, I definitely will use it for recruitment,” she said.
To learn more about Routefinder PLUS, Wayfinder or Transfinder’s suite of solutions, visit Transfinder.com, email getplus@transfinder.com or call 800-373-3609.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
A Solon City School bus driver proved he is among the best in the state, earning third place overall at the Ohio School Bus Driver Safety Rode-E-O, reported Cleaveland News.
David Pitrone, who joined the district’s transportation team in November 2022 and has been driving buses since 2016, is currently training to become an on-board instructor.
After earning third place at the Road-E-O competition and taking home the title of top conventional driver, Pitrone qualified for the International School Bus Safety Road-E-O for the second year in a row. The event, which brings together top drivers from across the U.S. and Canada and is sponsored by the National School Transportation Association, is set for June 28-29 at Hayes Independent School District in Austin, Texas.
The Ohio Road-E-O tests drivers on 14 different driving and maneuverability challenges and includes a written exams. Drivers who score 80 percent or higher can use their results toward state recertification.
A woman in DeKalb County, Geogia, is infuriated after her 6-year-old daughter was kicked off the school bus during a rainstorm and a mile from their home, reported Fox 5.
Alicia McClendon, the mother of the student, told local news reporters that she dropped off her daughter around 6:45 a.m. May 12 at her school bus stop. Around 15 to 20 minutes later, she received a call stating that her daughter was walking the streets in the rain, crying and screaming for help.
According to the news report, McClendon said her daughter, identified as Kaylani, was supposed to be dropped off at Flat Rock Elementary School, but the school driver kicked the child off the school bus after telling the girl to stop talking.
McClendon reportedly stated that her daughter had been left alone in the rain and was terrified. The child did not know where she was or what was going on.
Aisha Parker, a woman from the neighborhood, told local news reporters she was at her house when she heard a commotion. She thought it was kids playing around but then heard someone screaming and crying. It was Kaylani. The girl approached Parker and asked her for help, then told her what happened and how the school driver had kicked her off the bus.
Parker reportedly called McClendon immediately after and told her what happened. McClendon says she’s beyond upset and wants to press charges. The district said via the article that the driver has been placed on administrative leave until further notice and is prohibited from entering any DCSD schools, properties or fleet vehicles while the incident remains under investigation.
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