Along for the Ride

Frightening experiences on the job

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:58:09 GMT

By Kelly Roher

I was driving to San Diego recently with my boyfriend’s aunt when a vehicle in the carpool lane of the freeway spun out of control and entered our lane, almost hitting us. The near-accident got me thinking about frightening experiences — specifically, those that have occurred in your work environment. As you know ...

The 10 Commandments for Pupil Transportation

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:08:23 GMT

By Thomas McMahon

Transportation Supervisor Louk Markham wanted something to help his employees work better as a team. He came up with a list of "commandments" — ranging from licensing requirements to bus inspections to treatment of others — and shared them with his 22 drivers ...

No shortage of holiday spirit

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:12:59 GMT

By Kelly Roher

Quite often during this time of year, we hear about work that pupil transportation officials across the country are doing to help those in need. Here, I’ll share with you details on a few efforts that I learned of recently.

Yellow buses: a worldwide beacon

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:25:32 GMT

By Thomas McMahon

The U.S. catches a lot of flak — from inside and outside of its borders — regarding its military involvements, its other foreign policies, the practices of its businesses and on and on. But one area in which our great nation is widely admired by the rest of the world is school transportation. At the recent ...

Drivers get creative with bus safety musical

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:38:56 GMT

By Kelly Roher

School bus drivers at Mercer Island (Wash.) School District developed and performed in a play called “School Bus: The Musical” to teach elementary school students about bus safety. It presents several rules regarding waiting for the bus, crossing the street safely and correct bus passenger behavior.

School bus company helps promote music education

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:44:35 GMT

By Kelly Roher

Music influences me on many levels, so I was intrigued when SBF received word that school bus contractor Student Transportation Inc. was involved in a media art and music education project. The company recently unveiled a mobile recording studio in partnership with Carolina Studios, a nonprofit organization.

Out of my control

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:54:25 GMT

By Thomas McMahon

While I’m well aware that the statistics show that the yellow bus is the safest form of school transportation, the thought of letting someone I don’t know drive my sons is, to be honest, a little scary. This raises a pertinent question: Do some parents decline the school bus because they feel it’s safer for their kids to ride with Mom,

Does bus seat height affect behavior management?

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:30:04 GMT

By Thomas McMahon

Two years ago, a federal rule went into effect that raised the minimum height of seat backs on new school buses from 20 inches to 24 inches. The goal was to help prevent taller and heavier children from being thrown over the seat in a crash. But can the taller seats have an unintended impact on another aspect of bus safety?

Target bus stop dangers

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:03:50 GMT

By Kelly Roher
This summer, I heard the harrowing story of Jaycee Dugard’s life for nearly two decades after she was abducted from a school bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., in 1991 by convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido and held captive in the backyard of his home. This got me thinking about what school districts can do to maximize student safety at bus stops.

Getting to know my driver

SchoolBusFleet Magazine — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:44:21 GMT

By Thomas McMahon

I usually sat near the back when I rode Diane's bus in high school, and I never really got to know her over those few years. But now here we were, nearly a decade and a half later, both in jobs that led us to this same pupil transportation conference in a faraway state. ...