School bus driver Pat King received the “Frontline Hero Award” from Durham School Services for saving a colleague.
King, a Durham School Services employee who drives routes for Duval County Schools in Jacksonville, Florida, preformed life-saving CPR for 20 minutes on a school bus monitor when they experienced a sudden medical emergency on Feb. 10. She reportedly continued performing CPR until medical staff arrived, ultimately saving the life of her co-worker.
Frontline Hero Award
A spokesperson for National Express explained the Frontline Hero Award. “Frontline Hero Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, dedication and selflessness in the face of adversity. It honors those who go above and beyond to make a significant impact on the lives of others, whether through acts of bravery, leadership in times of crisis, or consistent efforts to inspire positive change within our organization. Further, this award serves as a reminder that heroes come in many forms, whether through quiet, everyday acts of kindness or extraordinary feats of bravery.”
“That’s the first thing I saw, it was that dummy that we have to do the training on,” recalled King in a statement. “Her chest wasn’t moving. I listened for her heartbeat and heard nothing. She’s my friend, you know. She wasn’t breathing. I had to do something. I couldn’t just let her lay there.”
Durham explained that its school bus drivers are required to participate in various safety training, and team members must be certified in CPR every two years. Florida requires school bus drivers to take courses that result five safety certifications: CPR/first aid, identifying and reporting child abuse, seizure training, human trafficking training, and the Florida Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect course.
“We are glad Pat is getting the recognition she very much deserves. She is a hero, and we were extremely proud to present her with an award and witness her gain further recognition from the community for her life-saving actions,” said Brad Kerrigan, area general manager for Durham School Services. “Instances like these prove the importance and need for safety trainings such as CPR/First Aid and further demonstrates our company’s commitment to safety.”
Lucid is asking owners to remove the mats and will refund them.
The mats are only held in place by small nibs on the underside.
Other floor mats from Lucid have anchors, securing them to the carpet.
If you happen to own a Lucid Air equipped with the optional all-weather floor mats, you might want to brace yourself for some unexpected news. The carmaker is issuing a recall notice, as there’s a chance these floor mats could shift out of position and interfere with the throttle pedal, raising the risk of an accident.
Sound familiar? It’s eerily reminiscent of Toyota’s infamous floor mat debacle from over a decade ago, where improperly secured mats were blamed for a series of unintended acceleration incidents.
According to Lucid, its Model -00 all-weather floor mats are only secured in place by small nibs on the underside, rather than any proper anchors. This means they’re prone to slipping forward, and this can lead to unintended acceleration. That doesn’t just put occupants inside a Lucid at risk, but could also endanger other road users.
How Did This All Happen?
Lucid first became aware of a potential issue in August last year when a sales associate was driving an Air with the floor mats in Europe suspected the mat had slipped forward and caused the accelerator to stick. The company later became aware of 13 other cases of the floor mats moving, but there were no reports of it interfering with the accelerator.
However, on February 27, 2025, a U.S. customer reported an issue: while accelerating, the throttle pedal didn’t return to its normal position after being released. Lucid determined that the potential for the floor mat to shift and interfere with the pedal posed an unreasonable safety risk.
As a result, the company has stopped selling the problematic all-weather floor mats and now only offers mats that feature holes to attach to anchors in the carpet, as you’ll find in most vehicles.
Owners of Lucid Air models with the affected mats are being instructed to remove them and will receive a full refund for their purchase. If you’re unsure whether your mats are the faulty ones or the newer, anchor-secured type, simply take your vehicle to a Lucid facility for a free inspection.
PLAINFIELD, Ill. – Durham School Services, a leader in student transportation, is expanding its footprint in Illinois with a new three-year partnership with the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District (CCSD) 202 starting this August. The Company currently serves several communities throughout Illinois, which includes schools in Lake, McHenry, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall, McDonough, Sangamon, Christian, Jefferson, Franklin, Williamson, and Johnson counties.
Over the course of the next three years, Durham will service approximately 108 special education (SPED) routes for the school district. Buses will be equipped with the latest safety technology such as DriveCam and Zonar Fleet Management.
Durham School Services will be holding a hiring event for prospective school bus drivers and monitors from March 31 – April 4, 2025, from 9AM – 5PM in the Media Center of Plainfield East High School located at 12001 Naperville Rd, Plainfield, IL 60585. Walk-ins are welcome.
Through this new partnership, Durham School Services aims to also contribute to the positive growth and advancement of the Plainfield community by participating in and supporting local events through its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program.
Michael Peterson, Director of Transportation of Plainfield School District 202 shared, “Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 looks forward to the partnership with Durham School Services and level of service that our community expects.”
“We are delighted to be able to serve another community of students and families in Illinois through this new partnership with Plainfield School District 202,” said Janine Hilliard, Region Manager, Durham School Services. “Our team has been diligently preparing behind the scenes to ensure a successful school start-up. We look forward to living up to Durham’s 100+ year reputation of providing excellent service and delivering safe, reliable service to the students of Plainfield CCSD 202. Thank you again to the school district for giving us this opportunity and entrusting the safety of your students to us.”
About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.
A man in Kanawha County was arrested after driving around a school bus that had its stop sign out and nearly striking a student.
The incident took place on March 14 at approximately 3:41 p.m., when Kevin W. Webster illegally passed a stopped school bus and nearly hit a child.
Initially, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office released a statement asking the public’s help in identifying the driver of a white Lincoln sedan that drove past a stopped Kanawha County school bus.
Authorities released another statement thanking the community for their support in the investigation. Ultimately, Webster was identified as the driver of the white Lincoln sedan.
Webster was arrested on March 15, with additional reports from the Saint Albans Police Department further placing him behind the wheel of that vehicle in separate incidents.
According to the statement, police obtained video surveillance showing Webster pulling into a 7-Eleven just moments before the incident, which led to his identification.
Through an interview with Webster, law enforcement officers collected additional evidence that led to an additional charge of driving under the influence (DUI) as a habitual drug user.
In addition to the DUI, Webster was charged with reckless driving, overtaking and passing a school bus, and driving with a suspended license.
Authorities emphasized the importance of stopping for school buses and encouraged the public to contact the department if they had any additional evidence.
Bullets struck a school bus while it was transporting students with special needs in the Bronx, New York, reported ABC 7.
The incident occurred on Friday just before 2:20 p.m. The minibus drove through gunfire and pulled up to an address located about half a mile away from where the shooting took place.
Jose Polanco, a coworker of the school bus driver, told local news reporters that the driver told him he kept driving because his first thought was to get the children somewhere safe.
The bus was reportedly struck at least three times. One bullet struck the back window and two struck the side of the bus. The bus was transporting half a dozen students with special needs. No one inside the bus was injured.
Police said four suspects, all wearing black, were shooting at each other and the school bus got caught in the crossfire.
The shooting took place near a playground, with a school just down the block. The name of the school was not reported, at this writing. Teachers said the shooting sent the school into lockdown, sheltering nervous students and staff in place for about 30 minutes past dismissal.
The suspects fled on foot. One was wearing white stripes and black plants. The investigation is ongoing.
CONCORD, N.C. – A mock casualty drill teaches school bus drivers how to evacuate children quickly and first responders how to access a school bus that’s been involved in an incident.
Developing such exercises with local first responders help a transportation operation become proactive, if an emergency event were to occur. While student transporters can’t prepare for everything, transportation directors and a fire chief discussed the importance of involving all stakeholders when administering such an event during a panel discussion at STN EXPO East on Saturday.
Paul Hasenmeier, chief and public safety director with Hernando County Fire Rescue in Florida, presented prior to the panel discussion about how emergency responders mitigate challenges and prepare for emergencies. Hasenmeier shared case studies and provided examples of where emergency responders would cut the school bus to rescue trapped children or school bus drivers.
In an interactive panel discussion, Katrina Morris, transportation director for West Shore ESD and the president of the Michigan Association of Pupil Transportation, explained that she rolled a bus on its side and the fire department cut through it at precise locations. They also set a school bus on fire, which surprised first responders as they didn’t believe the bus would burn as quickly as it did.
Peggy Stone, the transportation director for Lincoln County Schools in West Virginia, added that her staff also flipped a school bus on its side. She said because the district is very rural and firefighters are volunteers, she knows the response time will be long if an incident was to occur. Stone added that the event was a school bus driver’s idea.
She added that driver and student volunteers portrayed injured patients needing assistance.
Stone added that once a year Lincoln County fogs a bus and holds a driver competition to determine who can save the children, life-sized dolls, the fastest. She advised when considing a mock drill to start small like fogging a school bus with hidden training dolls inside.
Casualty Training for Students with Special Needs
Morris, whose operation serves primarily students with special needs at several member school districts, said that even if an emergency drill can’t be performed with every student, the process should be documented.
She also advised inviting law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS visit schools to speak with students, especially those with disabilities so they become familiar with the emergency vehicles and personnel.
Attendee Beth Allison, safety and training instructor for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia, said she was driving a school bus when a student had a seizure. Because she wasn’t the normal driver on that route, she said she didn’t have training on what to do and relied solely on her instincts.
“If we don’t prepare for something we don’t want to talk about, when it happens it’s going to be chaos,” said Hasenmeier, who moderated the panel.
He advised setting up a time with first responders to sit on the school bus for a route with students with special needs to get a better idea of behaviors.
Another attendee shared that a parent told their child to never exit the school bus unless they had arrived at home or school. That presented a challenge when the school bus broke down on route, and the child wouldn’t leave.
Morris said emergency training can be challenging and advised giving students jobs so they can help in a situation.
Other considerations when creating casualties are language barriers and the fact that most students have cell phones and can call their parents at any moment. Morris said she utilizes some law enforcement officers and school administrators who are bilingual to help communicate, but a language barrier wasn’t covered in the mock drill.
Meanwhile, another attendee shared that after a crash, parents arrived on scene and picked their children up before the district and first responders arrived. He asked the attendees how to communicate the plan with parents.
Morris said she set up specific communications district-wide. She said the announcement will indicate that an incident occurred, and an updated will be provided in 15 minutes, “but don’t go to the scene.”
She added it’s important to train drivers to not release children directly to their parents.
Stone noted that her district requires children to be signed out.
Stone said all agencies met following the mock drill and discussed lessons learned, such as school drivers who are on the radio too much and need to keep channels clear for emergencies.
Morris added that besides the school bus drill, her staff held another drill consisting of a school evacuation, where they ran into a couple of glitches.
“We don’t look at them as failures, but instead opportunities on where we can improve,” she said.
Tips & Tricks
Stone discussed the importance of inviting the media to attend the mock casualty drill. She underlined the importance of building a relationship with the media, so that when things do go wrong, they call before publishing or airing one-side of the story. She added it’s important to inform the parents as well, so that they don’t panic when they see an overturned bus on the side of the road.
Attendee Allison added that first responders didn’t know her school district had electric school buses in the county for nearly two years. Now that they have propane school buses, she said it’s important to make them aware so they can be better prepared.
Hasenmeier said the responsibility of producing mock drills should not fall fully on the school district. Instead, he said that first responders want to be involved. He advised having someone at the drill taking notes and documenting with pictures so that the event can be reviewed with participants and the training can be shared with others.
“Use it to help you gain credibility to the community,” he said.
Morris added that her event was also a morale booster because it was training specifically designed for the school bus drivers. She said it strengthened the bond the drivers have.
CONCORD, N.C. — According to a 2023 study by the U.S. Justice Department and Education Department, 22 percent of K-12 students were involved in a physical fight and 13 percent of students carried a weapon to school. More school shooters are also getting to school via the school bus.
Seven percent of students were threatened with a weapon and 5 percent of students are afraid of being attacked, the study found.
Over the past five to six years, Bret Brooks, the chief operating officer and senior consultant of Gray Ram Tactical, noted that school violence is trending up, due in part to COVID-19. Because of this increase, he said during his March 21 opening general session presentation at STN EXPO East, schools “should emphasize intervention techniques to address underlying causes of student violence.”
He stressed the need for a broad set of tools to be tailored to each school and that all staff should undergo training provided by quality and professional trainers.
Breaking Down the Seven Triggers:
Family: When you threaten family, one could naturally respond violently, said Brooks. This response includes extended family and even a community or nation.
Order: Brooks said this refers to the social order of things, such as when someone cuts in line.
Restraint: This is the feeling of being held back or stopped. As a law enforcement professional, Brooks said the most dangerous time when apprehending a suspect is the moment handcuffs are about to put on.
Resources: Food and water are among basic human necessities.
Mate: Similar to family but a separate trigger, according to Brooks. When someone takes a spouse, the response is usually very violent, he said.
Insults: Intentional or unintentional.
Life or Limb: Danger to one’s livelihood or that of a bystander. This is why there are self-defense laws, Brooks noted.
Brooks broke down the influence and triggers of violence to stop the acts from occurring and how to de-escalate incidents with students. He explained that anyone can respond violently in certain situations situation. He noted the example of an abduction of a child.
Brooks noted that violence is a biological process that occurs in the brain. How to mentally deal with a situation differs from person to person. Violence is a response to stress, fear and losing control or feeling mistreated. It is a fiery rage as a response mechanism.
He explained that school-aged children are experiencing greater underlying stressors today compared to years past due to factors such as online bullying, social networks and the pressure to be as “good” as Mom or Dad.
Brooks said if any of the seven triggers (see sidebar) are felt, the more triggers felt at once will determine how violent one will be become. “Underlying stress compounds the emotional stress and even more increases the likelihood the person will lash out,” he said, adding that underlying stress can be the death of a pet, a sick loved one, etc.
Violence in Children
Brooks noted that students are being exposed to more violence. “[By] 18 years old, the average American child will have seen 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence depicted in violent movies, television and video games.” he shared.
Video games often offer rewards for killing other players, and desensitize players to real-life violence, he explained.
Video games like virtual reality, he added, provide controllers that require the user to mimic the actions of using certain weapons, i.e., learning how to stab, slash and shoot.
He added that society has lost the causal relationship to justifiable violence, noting that when ordering chicken nuggets, for example, no one is thinking of someone killing the chicken to make the meal.
Moving Forward
Brooks said students riding the school bus who feel confined or uncomfortable, hot, unable to use Wi-Fi or listen to music can be prone to violent outbursts. He advised attendees to keep this in mind amid school bus driver shortages and increased numbers of students per bus and route.
He said violence is never going to end, especially without social changes. The trend of more deaths will continue.
“It is imperative we can identify warning signs ahead of time and then mitigate or avoid violence,” Brooks said, adding that school districts should implement a layered system of protection.
He underscored the importance of proper training and how critical it is for school bus drivers to be trained on indicators of violence, de-escalation techniques, concealed weapon identification, active shooter/intruder/hijacking response, and medical response.
A 5-year-old died after being hit by a Granbury Independent School District school bus.
Granbury ISD released a statement confirming the death Monday of an Emma Roberson Early Learning Academy student. The student’s name was initially not released but a second statement released by the district indicated the family of Exodus Crockett granted permission. A vigil will be held March 20 with the boy’s viewing and funeral scheduled for March 21.
The district said it directly communicated with all the families of students that were on the bus when the incident occurred and is closely working with local law enforcement.
Authorities said the school bus was traveling northeast on Pecos River Drive when the driver stopped to pick up students. As the driver started to pull away, a child ran up from the right front side of the bus and was struck. No other students were injured.
“I know you share in the devastation of this loss and may have many questions. We all have the expectation that students will be safe on our buses and in our district. We are already working to fully understand the situation and will share more information after we have had the time to investigate the incident,” said Granbury ISD Superintendent Courtney Morawski.
It is unclear if the school bus driver is expected to face charges. The incident remains under investigation.
CHARLOTTE, NC,- Child Safety Network Joins Forces with School Bus Industry Leaders at STN EXPO East.
March 20-25, 2024 The Child Safety Network (CSN) is thrilled to connect with top industry leaders at STN EXPO East, the premier event dedicated to advancing student transportation safety. This year’s conference will feature cutting-edge technology, best practices, and critical discussions on business management, maintenance, and security. Attendees can also participate in the Green Bus & Technology Summits, exploring innovations in sustainable student transport.
CSN proudly supports School Transportation News (STN) www.STNonline.com as a leading resource for industry trends. CSN advisor Tony Corpin, President & Publisher of STN Media Group, has been instrumental in shaping the publication’s impact. In 2021, CSN presented Corpin with the National Child Safety Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to CSN and school transportation safety—an honor that included a flag being flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and his name entered into the Congressional Record.
After more than a decade attending STN EXPOs, I’ve seen first hand how STN EXPO’s equip professionals with the tools and connections to create meaningful change for millions of students,” said Ward Leber, CSN Founder & Chairman.
CSN urges partners and sponsors to engage with STN’s impactful initiatives, including:
STN Webinar Series – Exploring innovation & technology in student transportation. School Transportation Nation Podcast – Hosted by Tony Corpin & Ryan Gray, delivering expert insights.
For sponsorship and partnership opportunities, contact Tony Corpin directly. Join us in shaping the future of student transportation safety!
Analysis on NAPT‘s new three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelt recommendation, the New York City Department of Education’s large technology RFP, and hands-on school bus emergency training in Texas.
Participate in more discussions about safety and technology at STN EXPO Charlotte and STN EXPO Reno, which both include the Bus Technology Summit and the Green Bus Summit.
“We’re not looking for a buyer, we’re looking for a partner.” Jason Yan, vice president of sales at RIDE Mobility, discusses how battery safety and development enhances electric school bus operation and range.
Hyundai is recalling 1,508 Ioniq 5 Ns over braking fault tied to Left-Foot Braking mode
Cars built between December 2023 and December 2024 are affected by the recall notice.
The brand urges owners to avoid Left-Foot Braking until dealers complete software update
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is equipped with a dizzying array of different driving modes and features designed to make it the ultimate all-electric hooligan. However, an issue with one of these features has forced the company to recall more than 1,500 Ioniq 5 Ns across the United States.
A recall notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) pinpoints the car’s Left-Foot Braking mode as being at fault. As the name of this mode implies, it allows drivers to use the brake and throttle pedals simultaneously and is aimed at high-performance driving on the racetrack.
However, it has been revealed that, at certain times, the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) control software can trigger a depressurization of the ABS system, reducing braking performance. This obviously increases the risk of a crash, particularly on the track where drivers need the most out of the braking system.
In total, 1,508 examples of the Ioniq 5 N are involved in the recall. These cars were manufactured between December 18, 2023, and December 10, 2024.
Hyundai plans to notify both dealers and owners of the recall on April 7 and is encouraging all owners to stop using the Left-Foot Braking feature. Dealers have been told to update the IEB and VCU software to rectify the fault.
While this appears to be the first recall specifically impacting the Ioniq 5 N in the US, the regular model has been recalled in the past. In November last year, the Hyundai Motor Group recalled over 145,000 Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Genesis G80 Electrified, Genesis GV70 Electrified, and Genesis GV60 models, because the integrated charging control unit could get damaged, preventing the 12-volt battery from charging and causing it to slowly drain.
Two Camden County School District school buses and one car were involved in a crash that left seven injured in North Carolina.
The incident occurred March 7, when a teen motorist was driving a 2013 Hyundai Sonata and traveling westbound on Scotland Road alongside one of the buses. The second bus was traveling eastbound on the same road, according to a statement released by the district.
The teen motorist, who was not identified at this writing, crossed the center line and collided with the eastbound bus, causing the bus to then crash into the westbound bus.
Both bus drivers, the motorist and four children were injured during the crash. They were all transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to local news reports, the teen was charged with failure to maintain lane control.
IRVINE, Calif., – CalAmp (Nasdaq: CAMP), a global technology leader in telematics and fleet intelligence, is excited to announce its participation in the STN East Conference on March 24, 2025. The CalAmp Synovia team will be stationed at Booth 108, where they will connect with student transportation professionals and share insights on the latest trends shaping the industry.
With over 1,000 school districts in the US and Canada relying on CalAmp’s cutting-edge solutions, the company continues to lead the way in GPS tracking, fleet optimization, and student safety. Attendees visiting Booth 108 will have the opportunity to engage with friendly and knowledgeable CalAmp Synovia experts who can provide valuable insights into the future of student transportation technology.
“We’re thrilled to be at STN East, engaging with transportation leaders who are passionate about making student travel safer and more efficient,” said Mark Gaydos, General Manager of Student Safety at CalAmp. “Our goal is to empower school districts with real-time data and actionable intelligence to optimize their fleets, improve student safety, and enhance operational efficiency.”
STN East is a premier event for student transportation professionals, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss challenges, innovations, and best practices in the industry. Visit CalAmp Synovia at Booth 108 to learn how their proven solutions are helping school districts across the country enhance efficiency, ensure student safety, and streamline operations.
For more information about CalAmp and its student transportation solutions, visit www.calamp.com.
About CalAmp:
CalAmp provides flexible solutions to help organizations worldwide monitor, track, and protect their vital assets. Our unique device-enabled software and cloud platform enables commercial and government organizations worldwide to improve efficiency, safety, visibility, and compliance while accommodating the unique ways they do business. With over 10 million active edge devices and 220+ approved or pending patents, CalAmp is the telematics leader organizations turn to for innovation and dependability. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.
Rep. Brent Jacobson (R-Mosinee) said extended supervision, probation and parole are tools that give people a second chance with the expectation that they will not commit other crimes. Screenshot via WisEye.
The Wisconsin Assembly passed a slate of criminal justice related bills Thursday, including a requirement to revoke probation or parole for people charged with crimes and implementing financial penalties if Milwaukee Public Schools doesn’t return police officers to school buildings.
Republican lawmakers said the bills were necessary to improve public safety in Wisconsin.
“Wisconsinites in almost every part of our state have seen that there are areas of our state that have sincere and real concerns,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said during a press conference.
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) said during floor debate that lawmakers should be crafting “smart” legislation to ensure people are safe across the state, but that the bills fall short of that goal. She said lawmakers should be focused on investing in safety.
“We can use evidence based, data driven practices to lower recidivism, to save taxpayer dollars and invest in rehabilitation and treatment to keep our communities safe,” Neubauer said. “Democrats are serious about safety, but the majority of bills in front of us today are not.”
Rep. Ryan Clancy said in a statement after the session that lawmakers spent the day on “considering badly written, badly conceived bills that will harm people and waste public resources” and said Republicans were refusing to acknowledge that mass incarceration and prison overcrowding are problems for the state.
“It’s wildly irresponsible to even consider increasing penalties and interfering with the very few tools of leniency we have with a prison system holding 5,000 more people than intended,” Clancy said. “But here we are.”
A couple of the bills would implement stricter requirements for dealing with criminal charges for people released from prison.
AB 85 would require supervising corrections officials to recommend revoking extended supervision, parole or probation for formerly incarcerated people who are charged with a new crime after their release. It passed 53-43.
The Department of Corrections found in a fiscal estimate that the bill would result in approximately 6,280 additional revocation cases each year. It also found that there would be an increase in operations costs by $85 million in the first year of enactment and a permanent increased operations cost of about $245 million after the population is annualized in the second year.
Vos said that the bill should be simple. He said that people who are out on parole have been given the “privilege” of being released from prison.
“Do you stand with the victim and the public or do you stand with the criminal who has reoffended and given up the privilege that he was briefly granted?” Vos rhetorically asked. “I think the price is worth it — $300 million to keep the people safe.”
Jacobson said the bill is necessary to address the “revolving door” in the prison system and ensure criminals don’t have the opportunity to victimize people. He said that extended supervision, probation and parole are tools that give people a second chance with the expectation that they will not commit other crimes.
“In far too many cases, a person released under state supervision continues the behavior that resulted in them going to prison in the first place,” Jacobson said. “It seems like common sense that someone who’s been convicted of a crime, is released under state supervision and returns to committing crimes, should have their release revoked. Far too often that is not the case.”
Clancy said in his statement that Republicans were “openly misleading the public and their colleagues about the contents and impacts of those bills.” He noted that the bill would be “triggered when someone is merely charged with a crime” but not found guilty.
AB 66 would require prosecutors to get a court’s approval to dismiss certain criminal charges. It passed 53-44.
Rep. Alex Joers (D-Middleton) said the bill would “remove prosecutorial discretion” and impose limits on those trying to uphold the law.
Jacobson, who authored the bill, argued it would support law enforcement and protect Wisconsinites from being victimized. He noted that Wisconsin law allows prosecutors to dismiss or amend charges or enter into deferred prosecution agreements.
“In the Legislature, we can pass all the penalties we like. It won’t matter if the justice system won’t apply those penalties,” Jacobson said. The bill, he said, would add an additional layer of oversight and transparency by requiring prosecutors to get court approval to dismiss or amend charges in cases involving one of seven serious crimes. Those include sexual assault, crimes against a child, theft of an automobile, reckless driving resulting in great bodily harm and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.
“These crimes leave lasting impacts and it’s our job as officials to take these seriously,” Jacobson said.
Lawmakers also passed a couple of bills that would increase penalties for certain crimes.
AB 61, which would increase penalties for injuring or killing an animal used by police or firefighters, passed in a voice vote.
Specifically, the bill would increase injuring an animal to a Class H felony, which is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to six years. Killing an animal would be increased to a Class G felony, which is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
AB 86 passed in a voice vote. The bill would increase the penalty for child sex trafficking if the crime involved at least three victims who were children at the time the crime was committed from a Class C felony to a Class A felony. As a Class A felony, the crime could be punished with life imprisonment.
AB 89 would allow multiple acts of theft or retail theft committed by the same person to be prosecuted as a single crime, and the value of the thefts to be combined in determining the penalty. It passed 71-26, with 18 Democrats joining Republicans in support.
School resource officers in MPS
Lawmakers also passed AB 91, which would implement financial penalties for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and the city of Milwaukee if either stop complying with a state law that requires police officers in schools.
Wisconsin Act 12, which passed in 2023, provided increased state funding for local governments and also implemented requirements that MPS place 25 officers in its schools by Jan. 1, 2024. The district was late to begin following the law, and a judge recently ordered the district and city to comply with the state law and instructed the district and the city to split the cost for the officers evenly. The Milwaukee Common Council and MPS Board both approved an agreement to make this happen earlier this month.
The bill was introduced, its sponsors said, to ensure the district complies both now and in the future.
An amendment to the bill changed the cost-sharing from 25% for the city of Milwaukee and 75% for the district to an even split between the two entities.
If there is noncompliance, 10% of the city’s shared revenue payment will be withheld by the state and 25% of the school district’s state aid payments would be withheld.
MPS has not had officers in schools since 2016, and the district ended its contract with the Milwaukee Police Department in 2020 in response to student and community opposition to the practice, a point that Rep. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee) pointed out during floor debate.
Madison said that when he was a student at a school staffed with officers a friend of his had an encounter that left him in the hospital.
“Two students were fighting. School safety officers came in and de-escalated the situation. As a friend of mine went to go check on his sister, who had been involved in the incident, I got to see school resource officers grab him, lift him in the air and body-slam him on the concrete of our lunchroom floor,” Madison said. “His shoulder was dislocated and his lip was busted, and he had to undergo surgery to navigate that situation. That wasn’t the only time that this happened in our school, where students were harmed by school resource officers.”
Madison said police officers in schools are a “failed approach.”
“Thanks to Act 12, and thanks to this bill. We’ll continue to create harms for our students… Our schools shouldn’t look like prisons. They shouldn’t work like prisons, and we shouldn’t treat students like prisoners in a space of learning, creativity and exploration. This takes Milwaukee schools in a bad direction.”
Clancy pointed out that MPS is not the only school district without officers in schools. Some other districts are Madison Metropolitan School District, Sherwood, Nicolet, Glendale River Hills.
“This is an attack on Milwaukee, and this is an attack specifically on the Black, brown, and Indigenous young people,” Clancy said.
Bill author Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield) said that the bill is needed because Milwaukee schools continue to call the police to deal with incidents. He cited a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report that found MPS averaged 3,700 police calls each year over 11 years.
“If MPS doesn’t want cops in their schools, why do they keep calling them?” Donovan said.
“Some say that this legislation or the penalties are not necessary. What is the alternative? The state just allow open defiance of state law? It took an MPS parent to sue the district before any movement was made,” Donovan said. “This legislation ensures this never happens again… There must be consequences for breaking the law, and how can we expect MPS to teach our children respect for authority and the rule of law when they apparently have none themselves.”
Other bills passed include
AB 75 to require the state Department of Justice to collect and report a list of facts about each criminal case filed in Wisconsin. It passed 54-43. Rep. Russell Goodwin (D-Milwaukee) joined the Republicans in voting for the bill.
AB 87 to require a person convicted of child trafficking to pay restitution immediately, and would authorize the seizure of their assets in lieu of payment. It also would require that anyone convicted of a felony must pay all outstanding financial obligations from their conviction before their right to vote is restored. It passed 53-44.
AB 74 to require public school boards, private school governing bodies and charter school operators to notify the parent or guardian of a student who is an alleged victim or target of a school employee’s sexual misconduct. It passed in a voice vote.
AB 78 to allow municipalities to impound a reckless driver’s vehicle whether or not it belongs to the driver. It also requires police to determine if the vehicle has been reported stolen, and if it has been, to release it to the original owner at no cost. It passed in a voice vote.
A school bus driver is dead after a crash involving two school buses in New York.
The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office released a statement March 7 confirming the fatal crash between two Holland Patent School District school buses.
According to the statement, one of the school buses operated by Michael J. Page, 57, was transporting three students when he crossed the center line into the path of an oncoming school bus for the same district.
The second bus, operated by Jean C. Marsden, 58, was transporting two students in the second Holland Patent School District school bus.
Marsden was pronounced dead at the scene. The two students on her bus were transported to Wynn Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Page was also transported to the hospital for a foot injury, and the three students on his bus were all evaluated at the scene before being signed over to their parents.
The crash is still under investigation. But authorities indicated the weather conditions of wind-blown snow appeared to be a factor.
Editor’s note — A previous version of this article insinuated blanket advocacy of three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelt usage. Instead, NAPT said it is aligning itself with NTSB’s recommendation that lap-shoulder seatbelts be required on all new, large school buses, and that decisions to purchase the occupant restraints be made at the local level.
Citing technological advances and repeated recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) said three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelts in all school buses.
The position marks a significant evolution in NAPT’s stance on seatbelts, though it has always called for local control of the issue. The paper encourages members “to recognize and manage issues related to driver liability and adherence to school policies in the implementation of any district program related to the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts.”
Still, the association said further testing on lap-shoulder seatbelt effectiveness by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is long overdue.
NHTSA’s limited testing resulted in the 2011 requirement of lap-shoulder belts on school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds because those vehicles closely resemble crash forces absorbed by smaller passenger cars and trucks in collisions.
However, in that same rulemaking, NHTSA declined to mandate lap-shoulder belts on larger school buses but did provide specifications to be used by operators opting to install them. In 2015, NHTSA recommended that school bus operators should install and use lap-shoulder belts on large buses because, while school buses are the safest vehicle on the road, the belts would increase safety for student riders.
“In the absence of a scientifically based mandate from NHTSA, NAPT believes it is important that the decision to install and utilize lap-shoulder belts is made at the local level and that our efforts should support and facilitate those decision-making processes,” the paper states. “NAPT sees our role as encouraging informed conversations at the local school district level and, where appropriate, at the state level, and enabling our members to engage in those discussions with reliable and timely information.”
NAPT said its decision to issue this position paper stems from ongoing debates and evolving circumstances surrounding school bus safety. NAPT pointed to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations that have highlighted instances where the absence of seatbelts contributed to injuries and fatalities. These findings, NAPT said, coupled with advancements in safety technology, prompted a reassessment of its previous stance and the need to provide updated guidance to its members.
“Accordingly, at this time, the board of directors has determined that NAPT should adapt our posture and statements on the issue of lap-shoulder belts on school buses to recognize the value and importance of NTSB’s recommendations, and the evolution of school bus safety technology,” the paper notes.
NAPT said it also firmly opposes the installation and use of two-point lap belts. It also continues to recommend that decisions regarding the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts should be made at the local level, supported by informed discussions and reliable information.
NAPT Executive Director and CEO Molly McGee Hewitt told School BusRIDE the new position was shared with the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, the National School Transportation Association, and state association affiliates.
“We have also shared them via email with the relevant federal agencies and will meet with them over the spring months as they transition to new leadership,” she added. “We will also bring the statement to other national education associations like the superintendents, school business officials, and the PTA. This kind of sharing will give our members a basis for support back in their districts.”
NAPT said it will provide future informational sessions in the form of webinars, conference sessions and podcasts to assist and support members in the making decisions on whether or not to specify lap/shoulder seatbelts on school buses.
An NAPT spokesman said the position paper was completed and approved in the fall. It was publicly announced in a School BusRide article on Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care, today announced four new safety initiatives designed to further enhance the company’s commitment to safe, reliable student transportation.
Following the recently released sixth annual Safety Report, which highlighted that 99.7% of rides in 2024 were completed without a safety-related concern, HopSkipDrive is introducing new measures to improve critical aspects of student transportation safety.
“These innovations reflect our data-driven approach in continuously improving the student transportation experience from end-to-end,” said Jen Brandenburger, SVP of Safety at HopSkipDrive. “Each initiative addresses a specific aspect of our platform, but together they represent our holistic approach to safety and our commitment to relentlessly raising the bar.”
The four new safety initiatives include:
1. CareDriver Trends – Recently launched, this significant update to CareDriver ride insights replaces previous weekly Success Cards with comprehensive metrics on cancellations, on-time arrivals, missed check-ins, telematics scores, and more – all accessible whenever CareDrivers need them, directly within the app. Located in a new dashboard, CareDriver Trends consolidates safety and experience indicators into an easy-to-understand trends rating, helping CareDrivers further improve their safety and receive actionable insights into their driving behavior.
2. Improved Must be Met Process – For rides where a responsible adult must be present at drop-off, HopSkipDrive is introducing a significant update that will introduce more structured protocols and bring greater clarity and consistency for parents, school staff, and CareDrivers. Ride Organizers will be able to define authorized individual groups and select specific verification requirements, while simplified protocol options for both Ride Organizers and authorized responsible adults at drop-off (meet at car, meet at door, meet inside) will appear in the Ride Organizer and CareDriver apps.
3. Customized Trauma-Informed Training with The National Organization for Victim Assistance – This new partnership with NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) will implement specialized trauma-informed training for Trust & Safety and Safe Ride Support teams. With over 45 years of experience, NOVA stands as the nation’s longest-serving victim assistance organization, bringing unparalleled expertise in compassionate care and support to help further strengthen HopSkipDrive’s ability to better serve students with diverse needs. This new training will be implemented later this year.
4. Dedicated Rider Support Line – Recently launched as a pilot program in the Bay Area, this feature provides riders with direct access to the Safe Ride Support team through a text message sent before each ride, containing a phone number they can call if needed. Riders can connect directly with a member of the team who can provide immediate assistance, offer guidance during their ride, or help resolve any issues that may arise. This pilot will expand to additional markets throughout the course of the year.
At the heart of these initiatives lies a fundamental belief that innovation in safety isn’t just about metrics, it’s about unlocking educational access and opportunity. With each new feature, program, and protocol enhancement, HopSkipDrive strengthens the bridge connecting students to their potential. These improvements build upon the company’s 50+ existing safety products and features, reflecting the reality that reliable transportation is foundational to ensuring students have access to the educational opportunities they deserve. As HopSkipDrive continues evolving its safety framework, the mission remains clear: to create opportunity for all through mobility.
About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading routing software, RouteWise AI. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than five million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.
More than 200 transportation and emergency response professionals gathered recently for the second annual Operation STEER (Student Transportation Emergency Education and Response), a hands-on school bus safety training initiative aimed at improving emergency preparedness for school transportation personnel statewide.
Hosted by Region 6 Education Service Center (ESC) on March 1 and in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, the full-scale training event held at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District Transportation Training Facility near Austin provided live emergency simulations for school bus drivers, first responders and education officials. Attendees represented over 65 Texas school districts, reinforcing the program’s growing statewide impact.
Diane Wilson, the school bus safety training specialist for Region 6 ESC, first conceived Operation STEER after attending an emergency evacuation training session at the TSD Conference in November 2023. The immersive experience, led by Launi Harden, Denny Coughlin, Diandra Nugent, and Aaron Harris, places participants in high-pressure crisis scenarios, including evacuating a smoke-filled school bus, securing and handling training dolls representing children of various ages, and practicing emergency techniques such as seatbelt cutting, fire extinguisher use, and proper evacuation methods.
“The ability to remain calm and take decisive action in a crisis can be the difference between life and death,” Wilson said. “I wanted to bring that level of preparedness to Texas so that our school transportation teams and emergency responders could experience firsthand what it’s like to manage these high-pressure situations.”
By expanding on the TSD Conference’s core training elements, Wilson designed Operation STEER to offer school districts a realistic, scenario-based approach to handling transportation emergencies. The program also prioritizes assistance for preschoolers and students with disabilities, ensuring all children receive the specialized care and securement they need during an evacuation.
Operation STEER is made possible through a collaboration between Region 6 ESC and a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation, with support from industry partners and vendors that contributed resources, expertise and donations to enhance the training experience.
“Their contributions were essential in delivering a comprehensive and impactful training experience,” Wilson said. “With the support of these industry leaders, we’re able to continuously expand and improve our training efforts, ensuring that school transportation professionals and first responders receive the most effective hands-on experience possible.”
Participation in Operation STEER has grown significantly compared to its inaugural year. This year’s event brought together over 200 attendees, including transportation dispatchers, bus drivers, transportation directors, school bus driver trainers, firefighters, EMS students, and first responder trainees.
“This diverse group of professionals creates a richer, more collaborative learning environment,” Wilson explained. “It’s not just about training school bus staff, it’s about ensuring that emergency responders, transportation leaders and safety professionals are working together as a unit to handle real-life scenarios.”
With the program’s train-the-trainer model, school districts can implement Operation STEER’s lessons within their own communities, ensuring that best practices reach transportation teams across Texas.
The event featured interactive emergency response exercises, equipping participants with critical life-saving skills through immersive, real-world scenarios. Key demonstrations included:
Live extrication exercises with Travis County Fire Rescue, simulating school bus rescue scenarios using specialized equipment.
Smoke-filled bus evacuation drills, allowing participants to practice safe student extraction in low-visibility emergency conditions.
Fire extinguisher training, teaching bus drivers how to control small fires before they escalate.
CPR, first aid, and “Stop the Bleed” training, provided by the Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC).
Special needs student securement and evacuation, in collaboration with BESI and Q’Straint, focusing on the unique challenges of assisting students with disabilities.
Emergency railroad evacuation drills, conducted with Operation Lifesaver and Leander Independent School District, reinforcing best practices for evacuations near railways.
Wilson emphasized that the curriculum is continuously evolving based on industry best practices and feedback from past participants.
“This year, we placed a greater emphasis on special needs student securement and evacuation procedures,” she said. “We wanted to ensure that transportation personnel are equipped to assist students with a wider range of disabilities during emergency situations.”
Wilson said she is already planning expanded future Operation STEER events.
Wilson shared she and her team are considering introducing new training modules, including active assault/weapon response scenarios and extreme student behavior management, to better prepare transportation professionals for complex crisis situations.
“We want to make sure that transportation staff are fully equipped to handle complex, high-stress situations in real time,” Wilson noted.
In addition to expanding the event’s content, Wilson said she has her sights set on broadening the program’s geographic reach.
“Our vision is to take Operation STEER to all regions of Texas, ensuring that every school district and emergency responder has access to this essential training,” she said. “We’re also exploring ways to share this experience at a national level, helping other states strengthen their student transportation safety measures.”
This year’s sponsors were: Holt Truck Centers; Longhorn Bus Sales; Smart Tag; IMMI/Safeguard; United Safety and Survivability; BESI, Inc.; First Services/First Student; Q’Straint/Sure-Lok; and Adroit.
First responders from the Travis County Fire Department coach a student transportation trainee on the proper technique and usage of a fire extinguisher during Operation STEER on March 1, 2025. The trainee is practicing the PASS method on a live diesel-fueled fire.
Ryan and Tony discuss federal government shifts and how the industry could be affected, as well as how to keep the core values of transporting students safely and efficiently.
“The driver shortage isn’t an excuse.” In an interview full of phrases you could put on a t-shirt, Heather Handschin, supervisor of bus operations for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia, discusses tools, processes and training to retain drivers, run operations smoothly, and serve community families well.
Reading Time: 4minutesClick here to read highlights from the story
Two women incarcerated at Taycheedah Correctional Institution have died following hospital stays that began Feb. 22.
Family members of both women say hospital staff linked the deaths to pneumonia. They said both women started mentioning health issues over the phone around a month ago.
Corrections officials briefly locked down part of Taycheedah due to an increase in respiratory illnesses.
Two women incarcerated at Taycheedah Correctional Institution have died following hospital stays that began Feb. 22. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has shared limited information about their deaths, frustrating family members and those locked up at the maximum- and medium-security women’s prison.
Shawnee Reed, 36, died Feb. 23, a day after arriving at an area hospital. Brittany Doescher, 33, died Thursday after spending nearly two weeks on life support, according to an online corrections database and family members.
Both women were mothers, family members said.
Two prisoners at Taycheedah told Wisconsin Watch and WPR that a third incarcerated woman was hospitalized around the same time as Reed and Doescher. The online corrections database shows the woman they identified was “out to facility” on Feb. 23. She returned to Taycheedah in the same week.
Reed and Doescher’s official causes of death are pending, said Dr. Adam Covach, Fond du Lac County’s chief medical examiner. Family members of both women say hospital staff linked the deaths to pneumonia. Reed and Doescher’s relatives asked not to be identified to avoid drawing more attention to their families.
Doescher’s relative said she learned of Doescher’s hospitalization two days after it began. She arrived to find Doescher chained to a bed with blisters around her ankles.
Shawnee Reed, 36, right, poses with her son. Photo was blurred for privacy. (Courtesy of the Reed family)
Following discussions with doctors, Doescher’s family member believes earlier treatment could have prevented the death, particularly because she was so young.
Asked about the deaths, department spokesperson Beth Hardtke wrote in an email to WPR and Wisconsin Watch: “The federal Centers for Disease Control is seeing ‘high’ numbers of respiratory illness cases in Wisconsin, and the Department of Corrections (DOC) is taking a number of steps to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses to staff and persons in our care.”
People incarcerated at Wisconsin prisons, including Taycheedah, were recently tested and treated for Influenza A, Hardtke added.
Relatives said both women started mentioning health issues over the phone around a month ago.
Questions about the illnesses are swirling within the prison. Three incarcerated women told WPR and Wisconsin Watch they learned Reed had died but heard different versions of the cause.
Corrections officials locked down part of Taycheedah — limiting prisoner movement — on Feb. 28. That was due to an increase in respiratory illnesses, according to an internal memo from Warden Michael Gierach. The department lifted the lockdown Thursday.
Wisconsin typically charges prisoners a $7.50 copay for each face-to-face medical visit, among the highest in the country. Citing the surge of respiratory visits, the department lifted copays for visits beginning Feb. 28, five days after Reed died.
“DOC health care staff recently reminded employees and those in our care of ways to protect themselves as influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia and RSV continue to circulate,” Hardtke wrote.
The prisons are providing vaccines, masks and soap for regular hand washing, Hardtke added. Anyone who tests positive for a respiratory illness is quarantined for at least seven days.
While women at Taycheedah did receive information about respiratory illness precautions, the department shared no details about the hospitalizations and deaths, said Kady Mehaffey, who is incarcerated.
“Which is kind of maddening because of the amount of people that are filling in the blanks about what happened,” Mehaffey said.
The department did not publicly announce the women’s deaths, which WPR and Wisconsin Watch learned about from women incarcerated at the facility.
Online records showed the women had died but little other information. The department has since provided basic information, including the women’s names, ages, death dates, and that they died in an “area hospital.”
States including Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska publicly announce prisoner deaths, sharing the person’s name, prison, where they died, and in some cases, details related to their cause of death.
Wisconsin is not the only state to limit the release of such details, but doing so is problematic, said Michele Deitch, director of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin.
“There’s no greater responsibility that prisons have than keeping the people inside safe and alive and when there’s a failure to do that the public has a right to know,” Deitch said.
Hardtke wrote that her department follows best practices to protect the privacy of people who are incarcerated and their families. What’s more, it’s up to county coroners or medical examiners to investigate causes of deaths.
The Department of Corrections does confirm deaths and release names after family is notified, but the department can’t release other details, including cause of death, because of privacy laws, Hardtke said.
Deitch said prison systems often interpret privacy laws broadly and then point to such protections to justify withholding information.
While the department updates its online database to note prisoner deaths, someone seeking information about a death would first need to know the prisoner’s name. That database was used to confirm the March 4 death of a prisoner at Waupun Correctional Institution — Damien Evans, the seventh Waupun prisoner to die in custody since June 2023.
Fourteen prisoners residing at Wisconsin’s adult institutions have died this year, Hardtke wrote. The prisons saw 61 deaths in all of 2024 and 54 deaths in 2023.
Reed and Doescher both participated in a program to help with substance abuse and facilitate an early release, according to relatives and court documents. Doescher expected her release within months, her relative said.
“She was hoping to come home and start her own business,” the relative said. “She wanted to counsel other girls in situations like her.”
Both Reed and Doescher enjoyed jewelry making while at Taycheedah.
“I don’t know how (Reed) did it, but she would get like thread and threaded around like a plastic piece or something like that and she could make these really cool designs,” Mehaffey said. “She was good with the small intricate things.”
Both women have children.
“We’re going to miss her and I certainly hope the prison system can be reformed because there’s no call for this,” Doescher’s family member said. “I feel for any other parent that has to go through this.”
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
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