Any district board of education considering seat belt installation on large school buses should examine all the research available prior to making a final decision. New Jersey's Guide for Analyzing a Pupil Transportation Program is provided. (MLF)

School systems will soon be using microcomputers to design their school bus routes and aid in the management of transportation programs. Offers guidelines to bring microcomputer bus management to school systems. (MLF)

Provides an update on emerging safety issues, new technological developments, and upcoming regulations that could affect school transportation programs. Two new sets of federal regulations to watch for will govern underground fuel storage tanks and hazardous materials, and restrict asbestos in vehicle brake linings. (MD)

Because diesel engines are more economical and longer-lasting than gasoline engines, school districts are rapidly increasing their use of diesel buses. Dependence on diesel power, however, entails vulnerability to cost increases due to the unreliability of crude oil supplies and contributes to air pollution. (MCG)

Examines critically the National Transportation Safety Board's post-1977 school bus standards, which encourage but do not require seat belts. (JBM)

The Code of Virginia requires school divisions statewide to submit data annually to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) on incidents of discipline, crime, and violence. Incidents reported include those that occurred on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored activity. The federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994 (GFSA, Sec.…

School-bus handrails have had the same basic design for more than 30 years. However, students' recent propensity to wear oversized and baggy clothing increases the likelihood that clothing or accessories may become snagged on bus handrails. Children across the United States have been injured or killed when their clothing or accessories caught in…

Alternative ways of financing school bus purchases include financing privately through contractors or commercial banks, financing through sources such as insurance companies and pension funds, leasing the buses, or contracting for transportation services. (Author/MLF)

Incidents of unruliness, defiance, and even violence on the school bus are escalating. Many school districts find that a behavior-management focus in their bus-driver training pays off in fewer serious discipline incidents and more job satisfaction among drivers. (MLF)

A driver performance test revealed that school bus drivers were not adjusting the bus crossover mirrors so that all the pedestrian areas could be seen. In addition, the mirror adjustment was restricted by bracket supports. Describes mirrors that meet state vision standards and how they should be utilized. (MLF)

Changes in school bus schedules and routes result in more uproar among parents than almost anything else. School districts alter bus routes for various reasons--lack of local or state tax revenue, safety, and efficiency. School boards should give parents as much notice as possible, as early as possible. All school officials need to know the new…

Describes a Missouri school district's recruiting, training, and retention strategies for school bus drivers. Includes an employer reference checklist and an applicant review form. (MLF)

Increasing numbers of school systems are reducing their transportation services. Citing the recession, reduction in state aid, and defeat of tax levies as the cause, the school transportation issue is seen by some as evidence of inequality. (MLF)

A Connecticut school district initiated a bus monitor program on the elementary bus runs. Monitors are paid $8.50 per run, are subject to the same medical examinations as are drivers, and are given preemployment drug tests. Children show respect toward the monitors. The district has concluded that monitors do help in making bus stops safer for all…