Amid National School Bus Safety Week, teaching young students how to safely navigate the school bus routine is an important part of early childhood education. Gregory Nichols hopes to support those efforts through his children’s picture book, Mr. G Big Yellow Bus, which introduces young readers to school bus safety.

“One thing they can learn is the importance of seatbelts, the importance of not standing in the aisle and not throwing stuff out the windows,” said Nichols, who’s been a school bus driver for nearly a decade, most recently with Bridgeton Public Schools in New Jersey.

By introducing these safety lessons through a children’s picture book, Nichols said he hopes young students will become more familiar with safe behavior on and around the school bus. As a school bus driver himself, Nichols knows the responsibilities he has and the importance of keeping the children safe at all times.

“Our responsibility as bus drivers is no kid left behind, and sometimes if you watch the news, you see kids get left on a bus,” Nichols said. “It’s important for the school bus drivers and the children to be aware of their surroundings to keep this from happening.”

After reading Mr G Big Yellow Bus, Nichols said he hopes young readers will understand that “your bus driver cares about you. I take my job seriously; I go above and beyond. Also, I want to see that they are safe and respect others.”

Nichols is working to reach more students through school readings and outreach effort. He said he hopes to encourage reading the physical copy of a book for young children, as an alternative to electronics. Mr G Big Yellow Bus is available for purchase on Amazon.

Additionally, Nichols is creating a Spanish book version, hoping he can eventually make it available in all languages. Nichols is also working on another children’s book, which will focus more on safety.

“I’m going to continue to write because I found a passion for it now,” Nichols said. “The recognition that I’m getting from the kids and my family, the support that I’m getting now from writing a book, and it’s something positive.”

For Nichols, one of the most rewarding parts of writing the book has been seeing how young readers connect with the story.

“I’m getting a lot of positive feedback from people that bought the book for their kids,” Nichols said. “I FaceTimed a couple of them, just hearing them say, ‘That’s Mr. G! That’s Mr. G!’ It’s really a heartwarming thing.”

Related: Georgia Grandmother Writes School Bus Safety Book for Children
Related: Children’s Books by School Bus Drivers Double as Safety Education Tool
Related: Connecticut School Bus Company Publishes Bilingual Book to Ease First-Day Bus Anxiety
Related: NC Transportation Manager Channels Passion for Education, Safety into Children’s Books
Related: School Bus Driver Creates Children’s Book to Promote School Bus Safety

The post Children’s Book Highlights Importance of School Bus Safety Through Driver Lens appeared first on School Transportation News.

In Texas, the summer heat is no joke, especially when transporting students. With routine temperatures of 100 degrees or higher, heat indexes that can reach 105 degrees and high humidity that can make it even hotter. Triple digit temperatures are very common. But how does this extreme heat affect school transportation?

It’s not only a summer concern. Temperatures along the Texas Gulf Coast were forecast for the high 80s and low 90s the first weekend of October. Similar temperatures extended east to Florida and north to New York. Fall heat also scorched most of California, especially the Los Angeles area.

Amy Scopac, director of transportation for Temple Independent School District in Central Texas, shedded some much-needed light, on a very hot and ongoing topic.

“During periods of extreme heat, even a properly operating school bus A/C system can be challenged by the conditions we operate in,” Scopac said. “A full passenger load, direct sunlight, frequent stops and repeatedly opening the service door all introduce additional heat into the bus.”

Traditionally, school bus air-conditioning is designed to provide around 30-degree temperature differential from the outside feel, however, with the additional conditions that Scopac noted, such as repeatedly opening the service door, can make the A/C’s job quite difficult. This leaves students and bus drivers having to face extreme heat conditions, even inside the bus.

For the students, this created a problem, particularly when exiting the bus. Scopac noted how parents expressed their concerns as their students got off the bus, covered in sweat and complaining about how hot it was. While most parents understood the situation and how the A/C was doing the best it could, it still led to numerous complaints and a noticeable increase in calls, especially during the first couple weeks of school, which started Aug. 13.

On a recent School Transportation Nation podcast, STN President and Publisher Tony Corpin addressed the climbing temperatures and related conversations between Facebook posters. While many noted there is not much school districts can do, others addressed how the school year in most areas no longer starts after Labor Day, leaving children to start school in the traditionally hottest months of August and even late July. School bus drivers also expressed this concern with many noting how the A/C can only do so much, leaving them and the students in a sweltering state.

“Starting the school year in August means that our students, drivers and buses are operating during one of the hottest periods of the year in Texas,” Scopac added. “From a transportation perspective, extreme heat in August is predictable, and is simply an operating condition we have to plan for.”

Temple ISD has not been the only school district in Texas dealing with the effects of extreme heat. Jennifer Gardella, director of transportation for Rockwall ISD located east of Dallas, shared with School Transportation News how the heat has taken a toll on the district’s buses, knocking out the A/C, one bus at a time.

“I had a brand new 2026 bus out there, and the AC went down,” Gardella said. “It just can’t keep up with the heat outside.”

She noted that the mobile classroom can sometimes feel like a sauna.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, this past August tied the record for the hottest month ever on Earth, up 2.20 degrees above the measured baseline. Additionally, the World Meterological Organization said El Nino’s lasting impact could make 2027 even hotter.

However, Temple ISD is doing its best to ensure students, parents and bus drivers understand the effects of extreme temperatures on school transportation. As part of those efforts, the district created an infographic highlighting school bus facts and A/C systems, which it shared on Facebook.

Scopac said the response to the infographic she posted has been positive. “There was a lot of enthusiasm for having something they could share with their communities,” she explained. “It gave them a simple way to help parents understand what a school bus A/C system is actually capable of and why cooling a school bus during extreme heat is very different from cooling a passenger vehicle.”

She also emphasized the importance of helping parents and community members understand how school buses operate in extreme heat. “When people understand how these systems work, the conditions they’re operating under and their practical limitations, they can have more realistic expectations,” Scopac said.

Related: Updated: Fatal Rollover of Texas School Bus Fixes Focus Back on Seatbelts
Related: Texas District Celebrates Bus Drivers with First-Day Send-Off
Related: Washington School Districts Cancel Summer Transportation Due to Heat Wave

The post Finally Fall? How Texas School Districts Navigate Extreme Heat Waves appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Broward County Public Schools bus driver died after another district school bus struck him at a transportation lot in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Alfred Desmandes, 69, was walking across the school bus parking lot shortly before sunrise Sept. 9, when he was struck by a bus driven by Steven Becker, 68. The collision occurred at approximately 5:29 a.m. at 2251 N.W. 18th St., according to a sheriff’s office traffic homicide report.

Investigators said the school bus had been positioned at the fuel pumps on the east side of the transportation building. Becker was leaving the pumps when he made a U-turn and began traveling west through the parking lot.

At the same time, Desmandes was walking southwest toward the building. Becker told detectives that he did not see Desmandes crossing the parking lot because the lot’s lights were not illuminated, the report states.

The sheriff’s office said its investigation showed that Desmandes crossed into the path of the school bus and was struck by the front driver’s side of the vehicle.

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue responded to the transportation lot and transported Desmandes to Broward Health North Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. A day later, the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office notified traffic homicide detectives that Desmandes had died at the hospital.

The sheriff’s office stated that neither excessive speed nor impairment is considered a contributing factor in the crash. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not announced any charges.

The agency has not said why the parking lot lights were not illuminated or whether investigators consider the lighting conditions a contributing factor. The traffic homicide report attributes the information about the lights to Becker’s statement to detectives.

Desmandes was reportedly a relief bus operator assigned to Broward County Public Schools’ north transportation operation. His son, Kendrick Desmandes, told local media that his father had worked as a school bus driver for more than 30 years.

Kendrick Desmandes questioned why the transportation lot was dark at the time of the collision and said he believed his father’s death could have been prevented. Desmandes’ cousin, Lundy Accime, also told local media that the family was devastated and wanted accountability for what happened while Desmandes was at work.

Following the collision, Broward County Public Schools reportedly stated that the driver involved would be reassigned from driving duties while the investigation continued.

School Transportation News contacted Broward County Public Schools and the district’s transportation department to request additional information about the lighting conditions, whether any problems had previously been reported and whether the district is reviewing its pedestrian-safety procedures. The district had not responded as of this report.

In a statement provided to local media, Superintendent Howard Hepburn said district personnel were cooperating with the sheriff’s office and that crisis counselors were available to support employees and others grieving Desmandes’ death.

Related: School Bus Crash Leaves 2 Children Hospitalized, Bus Driver Dead
Related: Operation Safe Driver Week Takes Aim at Preventing Deadly Epidemic of Distracted Driving
Related: New Jersey School Bus Driver Struck, Killed by Another School Bus
Related: Alabama Teacher and School Bus Driver Struck, Killed by School Bus

The post Florida School Bus Driver Dies After Being Struck at District Lot appeared first on School Transportation News.

McAllen Independent School District in Texas marked the first day of classes with a send-off ceremony recognizing the school bus drivers responsible for transporting thousands of students.

All 66 district buses were ready to roll as McAllen ISD began the 2026-2027 school year Aug. 17. A police escort accompanied the buses as they departed on their morning routes, creating a ceremonial start centered on student safety and appreciation for the transportation team.

More than 19,000 students returned to McAllen ISD classrooms. District officials said drivers transport about 5,000 students daily over 60 routes, making transportation one of the first and last points of contact for many children each school day.

Superintendent René Gutiérrez thanked the school bus drivers and recognized the responsibility they carry while taking students to school and returning them home.

Transportation Director Eduardo Barnhart told School Transportation News that McAllen ISD organized the event to ensure drivers knew their work was seen, valued and appreciated.

For many students, Barnhart said, a school bus driver is a familiar, trusted person who sets the tone for the day and welcomes them home each afternoon. “The first day of school represents a new beginning and an opportunity to set the tone for the entire year,” he stated.

Drivers were surprised to see district leaders, Gutiérrez and his cabinet, law enforcement officers and community members at the send-off, a district spokesperson said. The police escort and recognition generated a sense of pride, and drivers smiled as they left for their routes.

Longtime driver Tomasita Dillard, who has driven a school bus for nearly 15 years, told local reporters she was excited to see the students assigned to her route. She said safety begins with clear communication among drivers, families, students, and school employees.

“I try to have a lot of communication with students, parents and the staff at the schools,” Dillard said. “That’s the most important thing you can do as a bus driver, safety.”

The celebration was followed by McAllen ISD’s “Inside the Route” Bus Buddy Program during the first two afternoons of school. District administrators rode every afternoon elementary route to ensure students boarded the correct buses and reached their designated stops. Gutiérrez and school board members also participated.

The program gave administrators a firsthand view of transportation operations and drivers’ challenges. District leaders wanted employees to know they were willing to ride alongside them, learn from them, and support their work.

“The first two days of school were really about connection, connecting students to their schools, their buses, their drivers and ultimately their homes,” Barnhart said.

McAllen ISD hopes to make the send-off an annual tradition and build upon it in future years. The spokesperson said drivers deserve to begin each school year knowing the district and community appreciate their work.

The district also shared a message of gratitude with its transportation team, thanking employees for their dedication, patience, and professionalism.

“Your work matters, and the impact you have on our students goes far beyond the miles you drive,” Barnhart said.

The district asked families to continue partnering with transportation staff and emphasized the trust parents place in drivers.

“When you put your child on a McAllen ISD school bus, you are trusting one of our drivers with what matters most to you,” Barnhart said. “We take that responsibility seriously.”

The district said its goal is for students to arrive safely, confidently and ready to learn before returning home safely each afternoon.

The send-off sent a message to drivers that, “We see you, we appreciate you, and we are proud to have you representing McAllen ISD,” Barnhart said.

Related: Tuscaloosa City Schools Ask for Patience as New Bus Drivers Learn Routes
Related: Rockford Public Schools Seeks More Bus Drivers
Related: Ohio School Bus Drivers Complete Annual Safety Training
Related: Kentucky School Bus Drivers Rehearse 640 Routes Ahead of New School Year

The post Texas District Celebrates Bus Drivers with First-Day Send-Off appeared first on School Transportation News.