Preventive school bus maintenance to reduce long-term costs should include daily visual inspections by drivers, frequent checks by mechanics, and comprehensive inspections every 5,000 miles. Mechanics recommend checking tail lights, batteries, brakes, lug nuts, leaf springs, tail pipes, and exhaust pipe hangers. (RW)

School bus safety includes the development of safe drivers as well as student awareness. Outlines the McDowell County schools' (North Carolina) bus safety program. Includes discussion of whether high school students should drive school buses. (MD)

School boards can substantially minimize school bus fires with recently improved fire-resistant materials. Tests comparing fires in buses without resistant materials with fires controllable by protective materials demonstrate that manufacturers should be urged to improve materials. Materials would not prevent fires, but they would buy time to…

Describes a computer program, developed for an Ohio school system, that monitors school bus repair and maintenance records. (MD)

Outlines a sample contract that a district might want to use if its buses are required for emergency use by local government. The contract addresses such areas as who drives, whether regular school bus regulations are observed, who pays for the fuel, and what the costs are to the user. (IRT)

To avoid losing money when buying a bus, a school board should know its district's needs, use the district transportation officer's expertise, investigate local dealers' credentials, learn about differences in bus quality, follow detailed specifications, and pay promptly upon purchase. (RW)

Provides 39 tips than can save school systems gas, money, or both. The tips are arranged in three categories--general policies, bus maintenance, and gas-saving purchases. (Author/IRT)

Outlines five successful administrative practices to follow to prevent problems with school buses. (MD)

Outlines common-sense tips for disciplining student bus riders that are recommended by several driver-training programs. Themes include the following: (1) Set a few clear rules for proper bus behavior; (2) be positive; and (3) establish amiable communication with the children and with the principal as well. (CJH)

Standardized bus schedules allow a more efficient use of buses and drivers. Cites experiences of districts using the four-bell schedule where high schools open first, followed by middle schools, and then elementary schools with two opening times. A computer routing system can be used to route buses more efficiently and draw school attendance…

In 1981 the transportation costs of an Ohio school district had increased 63 percent over a four-year period. A cost-cutting program was initiated that year, and by 1984 transportation cost increases had been cut to one percent. Includes a list of seven factors that contributed to the cost-cutting program. (MD)

Choosing the number, types, and sizes of school buses requires analysis of the following factors: the number and distribution of students who need transportation; characteristics of the district such as topography, narrowness of streets, and rural or urban location; extracurricular activities and special education programs; and economics and…

The experiences of several school bus garages around the country show that it is possible to modernize equipment and upgrade training while also holding the line on costs. Computer software is used to track servicing, inventory, and other information about a bus fleet. Related factors in improved bus maintenance are the quality of the vehicles and…

After a South Carolina school bus accident, involving the death of an automobile driver, the district was faced with a lawsuit. Advises school administrators not to rely on police authorities to gather all the evidence but to compile a thorough school-system accident report, written in close cooperation with a school attorney. Lists report…

Describes how school districts, faced with shrinking resources, have cut costs for student transportation. To combat rising transportation costs, districts have charged fees for student transportation, entered into private contracts, cut transportation services, used alternative fuels, and streamlined bus routes and schedules. (LMI)