Category: Serious
Posted by: MamaLoca
Washington, DC - State school bus safety officials and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today warned parents that popular "Pokemon," "Furby," "Beanie Babies" and other small toys that can be attached to backpacks or clothing pose a potential safety hazard to children getting off school buses.

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Category: Serious
Posted by: MamaLoca
Albany, NY – Recent incidents in some of the nation's schools have appropriately focused attention on new ways to improve school safety for America's children. Often overlooked in the discussion, however, is the safety of children as they travel to and from school. A deadly, yet little noticed trend is increasing as more and more children stop riding school buses, and instead choose more dangerous alternatives such as private autos, bicycles or even walking, according to the School Bus Information Council.

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Category: Serious
Posted by: MamaLoca
I thought I would share this. It's fairly standard for most school systems

Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Bus Transportation Guide 2008/09

The following information is provided to acquaint you with the rules, regulations and responsibilities involved in student transportation. Your cooperation will help considerably in transporting your child.

“Supporting student success through safe and efficient transportation.”

BUS RULES
Don’t Lose Your Riding Privilege!

1. Be courteous and respectful and follow the drivers/attendants directions.
2. Fasten seat belts and remain seated at all times.
3. Eating, drinking and chewing are not permitted.
4. Hazardous and oversized objects are not permitted. (Examples: skateboards, skis, snowboards, weapons, glass, matches, lighters, irritants and aerosols, etc.)
5. No unauthorized exits/entrances of bus. (Emergency doors or windows)
6. Keep your hands and feet to yourself and inside the bus.
7. Keep aisles and exits clear.
8. Keep noise level down. Profane language and/or gestures are prohibited.
9. Absolutely no vandalism.
10. Do not throw any objects.
11. Pets/animals are not allowed on or around the bus during loading or
unloading.

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Category: Serious
Posted by: MamaLoca
By RAY HENRY and JESSIE L. BONNER Associated Press

Faced with soaring diesel fuel costs, school districts are forcing students to use the old-fashioned way to get to class: on their own two feet.

Many schools are eliminating or reducing bus service because fuel has jumped to $4.50 per gallon, 36 percent more than a year ago, and is busting budgets.

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Category: Budget
Posted by: MamaLoca
By Mike Hasten • mhasten@gannett.com • August 8, 2008

BATON ROUGE LA— The next time you complain about paying $40 to fill up you car, think about Calvin Latiolais and the hundreds of other school bus drivers across the state who pay about $300 to fill up a bus every three or four days.

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Category: Serious
Posted by: MamaLoca
Updated: Aug 9, 2008 08:33 AM

NORTHPORT - Governor Bob Riley and members of the Governor's Study Group on School Bus Seat Belts will meet at Northport Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11 to discuss the installation of seat belts on Alabama school buses.

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Category: Budget
Posted by: MamaLoca
High gas prices have more parents choosing the school bus instead of the family car to shuttle students to and from classes.

It's a 20 minute trip for Brenda Hyatt to drive her son Lukus to Mars Hill Elementary. She says he'll be taking the bus soon because gas prices haven't dropped much below four dollars a gallon in Madison County.

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Category: Budget
Posted by: MamaLoca
Aug 8, 2008
Door-to-door school bus service is being dropped this year in favor of picking children up at nearby corners, according to Lebanon R-3 School District Transportation Director Max Starnes.

Starnes said the district will have what he calls a “more streamlined route plan” this year, mainly because of the high cost of fuel and maintenance, plus a growing number of children who need transportation.

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Category: Safety
Posted by: MamaLoca
By Colleen Farrell, Messenger Post
Fri Jul 27, 2007

Greece, N.Y. -

For a few hours last Friday, the inside of the town's Community and Senior Center was turned into a mini-race track.

There were mini replicas of the Lake Ontario State Parkway, the Greece Public Library, even a working traffic light and cross-walk signal.


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Category: Safety
Posted by: MamaLoca
Daily Messenger
Fri May 30, 2008

A JEER ... to all those motorists out there who — still — pass stopped school buses. The Syracuse school district recently mounted cameras on buses to track such incidents. They captured more than 60 drivers illegally passing stopped school buses in a six-week period.

The problem isn’t limited to Syracuse. The New York Association for Pupil Transportation invited its members to count the number of illegal passes and heard from school bus drivers in Marcus Whitman and Fairport, as well as dozens of other districts throughout the state.

A reminder: Passing a stopped school bus with its lights flashing is illegal. More important, it can be deadly dangerous to the young passengers. Don’t do it.

http://www.mpnnow.com/archive/x1170287204/Cheers-and-Jeers