A New York school district distributed a back-to-school newsletter to inform families and students on the latest school news, rules, policies, and procedures.

The article's author read the newsletter and highlighted some items address in it. She brings a certain perspective because she used to manage school transportation years ago in another state.

The author notes an important safety improvement on today's school busses is "flashing red lights while traveling in either direction, even on a divided highway, in a parking lot or in front of a school", and that violations can be "several hundred dollars" or even jail sentences.

One section of the school's document addresses the use of multiple cameras on school buses to obtain multiple views. Bus cameras help drivers maintain order and provide a witness for drivers doing their back-of-the-bus walk-through inspections to ensure no students are asleep after each run.

The author reports at least three incidents of students left on the bus occurred during the time she was in charge. The special-needs students were left several hours on the bus until the next run when they were noticed. The children physically unharmed, but the author wonders "about their mental states regarding a sense of abandonment." Deb Wuethrich "Bus cams heighten student safety" https://www.bradfordera.com/opinion/bus-cams-heighten-student-safety/article_b9869c6a-6ada-11ef-b6f0-cfeb571c0355.html (Sep. 04, 2024). 

Commentary and Checklist

Bus safety procedures can help protect all students, especially special-needs students who may be unable to speak up when an issue arises on a bus.

District policies on bus safety should be distributed to everyone in the school community.

Document the training of personnel who drive the buses, ride on them to assist, wait with students on campus until the bus comes, or greet the buses dropping off students at school in the morning. Make sure they talk to each other about their roles and what they expect from each other when managing students of all ages and abilities.

What are other bus safety tips schools can consider?

• Only hire drivers who pass a criminal background check
• Drivers should have excellent traffic safety and other safety records
• Periodically verify drivers' license status
• Use video surveillance on all buses
• Use seat belts and assigned seats
• Have another adult on board to assist the driver, if necessary
• Train bus drivers and assistants on child sexual abuse prevention
• Respond quickly to investigate any report of wrongdoing on a bus