This document provides statistical information regarding the incidence of school bus-related accidents and fatalities. Descriptive data are presented on occupant and pedestrian fatalities by age, time of day, and principal impact point on school bus vehicle; the number of school-age pedestrian deaths; and the number of school bus-related crashes.…

This study identifies factors that affect school refusal among preschool children in public schools of an Appalachian state. School refusal is defined as behavior through which children refuse school by active protest, inactive protest, or denial. A random sample of 198 preschool teachers representing 6,309 children provided the data for the…

This study reports on the crash performance of large poststandard school buses (school buses manufactured after April 1, 1977, and weighing more than 10,000 pounds unloaded) in 43 accidents investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. The report discusses the Safety Board's findings as to how well the standards are working to protect…

Inadequate public transportation in rural areas has long been a major impediment for rural residents' access to health care, jobs, and community activities and services. Particularly disadvantaged in transportation are the rural poor, elderly, and youth. This report highlights the benefits to be gained by passage of the Commission on Rural…

A program started in Washington County, Maryland in 1980 has been successful in saving school bus fuel and bringing down transportation costs incurred by its fleet of 200 buses. Driver training and motivation, as well as a partial transfer to diesel buses, are at the heart of the program. The drivers are taught five fuel saving techniques: cut…

Since the energy shortage occurred, pupil transportation has employed major conservation measures that have reduced the amount of fuel required to transport children to and from school and school authorized activities. Some basic guidelines for sound fuel reductions in school transportation are supplied in this pamphlet. From these guidelines, a…

In its successful program to prevent and control violence, vandalism and misbehavior by students on school buses, the Salem (Oregon) school administration utilizes a four-step reporting and followup process. Should an incident occur, the first step is mailing of a misconduct notice to parents. This notice is followed by a warning letter. If…

This document contains the text of the rules and regulations, adopted in 1972 and later amended, governing the operation of student transportation vehicles in the state of Colorado. They define the kinds of vehicles that qualify as school transportation vehicles, outline the requirements for vehicle operator's examination, describe the types of…

This study reviews some examples of injuries received in two school bus accidents; explains how the design of joints and fastenings in the buses was involved in the injuries and in the structural strength of schoolbuses; and compares schoolbus construction with construction of other types of buses that employ more efficient and complete…

This report presents a program that derived a compliance test procedure for school buses with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or greater. The objective of this program was to evaluate Fuel System Integrity (FMVSS 301) in relation to school buses, conduct a limited state-of-the-art survey and run full-scale dynamic tests to produce an…

The Computerized Fleet Maintenance (CFM) program of a New York school district has major component areas of garage operation, vehicle replacement, and fuel consumption. CFM detects high expenditures and provides the rationale for bus replacement. (MLF)

A preschool class of 4- and 5-year-old children in a Midwestern Christian school chose to study school buses as a class project. This article discusses the goals of the project; describes the three phases of the project, including the children's representation of parts of the bus; provides the teacher's reflections on the project; and presents…

Drivers' lack of concentration, distraction, and misjudgment are the major causes of all school bus accidents. Examples are provided of exemplary bus driver training and safety programs. (MLF)

Beginning on the front cover, this article tells how school districts are reducing their transportation costs. Particularly effective measures include the use of computers for bus maintenance and scheduling, school board ownership of buses, and the conversion of gasoline-powered buses to alternative fuels. (Author/MLF)

Delineating the current costs and quality of service of pupil transportation provides a basis for evaluating alternatives. With this, districts can identify the opportunities to (1) provide the current service more efficiently; (2) modify the current service parameters; and (3) provide service under a more efficient operating system. (MLF)