School Transportation - at a crossroads学校交通十字路口

MakingtheCaseforSchoolBusTransportation

YellowschoolbusescomprisethelargesttransportationsystemintheUnitedStates–475,000busestransportingmorethan26millionchildreneachday.

AlthoughtheyareanAmericanicon,theyellowschoolbusisoftenunderappreciatedforthesafe,reliableandconvenientservicetheyprovidetomillionsoffamilies,andforensuringthatAmerica’schildrenhaveaccesstoaneducation.2SchoolBusSafetyFactsSCHOOLBUSESARETHESAFESTVEHICLESONTHEROADEverymajorfederalsafetyorganizationagreesthatschoolbusesarethesafestformoftransportationforgettingchildrentoandfromschool.AccordingtotheTransportationResearchBoardoftheNationalAcademiesforScience,schoolbusesare15timessaferthanapassengercarand44timessaferthanastudentdrivencar.Schoolbusesmustmeet37differentFederalMotorVehicleStandards–morethananyothervehicleinthenation.Theuniquedesign,colorandsize,rigorousconstructionstandardsofschoolbuses,combinedwithflashingredlights,crossviewmirrors,andcrossingandstopsignarmsensurechildrenareprotectedandsecureonandoffthebus.

3SchoolBusSafetyFactsSCHOOLBUSESAREOPERATEDBYPROFESSIONALDRIVERSSchoolbusdriversmusthaveaspeciallicense,calledaCommercialDriver’sLicense(CDL),andmusthaveaSchoolBusEndorsementthatrequiresextratesting.Schoolbusdriversarehighlytrainedprofessionals.Theyreceivespecializedtraininginstudentbehaviormanagement,loadingandunloading,securityandemergencymedicalprocedures.Driversparticipateinpre-employmentandrandomdrug/alcoholtesting,aswellasfrequentdrivingrecordchecks,andsubmittobackgroundchecksandperiodicmedicalexamstokeeptheirlicense.4Schoolbusesareimportanttoparents Werecentlyaskedparentsacrossthecountrywhattheyvalueinschoolbustransportationandheardthefollowing:SchoolbusesareconvenientSchoolbuseskeepchildrenoffofthestreetsSchoolbusesprovideaccesstoschoolbreakfastprogramsSchoolbusesareagreatwayforchildrentosocializeinasafeenvironmentSchoolbusescanbeasafehavenbetweenhomeandschool5WhatAreParentsSayingAboutSchoolBuses?TransportationisakeypartoftheeducationsystemDon’tthinkso?Trycancelingabus......hereiswhatyouwillhear!“Ifmychildgetshurtwalkingtoschool,Iwillholdyouresponsible.〞“Itismyright.〞“Wepaytaxesforthisservice.〞“Transportationisneededtokeepmychildsafe.〞“Iwork–andcan’ttaketimeofftotakemychildtoschool.〞“Wedon’thavesidewalksorstreetlights.〞“Therearedrughousesalongmychild’swalkingroute.〞“Thereareregisteredsexoffenderslivingnearby.〞6SchoolBusesandtheEnvironmentSCHOOLBUSESAREASMARTCHOICETotalfuelforcarsreplacedbybuses:3.1billiongallonsperyear:Costoffuelforcarsreplacedbyschoolbuses:$11.4billionperyear:Totalannualcarmileagesavedbystudentsridingschoolbuses:62.4billion:Totaldailycarmileagesavedbystudentsridingschoolbuses:346.6millionOnaverage,oneschoolbustransportsthesamenumberofchildrenas36cars!7Whyaren’tschoolbusesusedmoreoften?Howmanyofyouhaveexperiencedanincreaseinthecostof:Fuel?Maintenanceandrepair?Insurance?Busesthemselves?

Howmanyofyouarehavingdifficultyfundingallyourprograms?Howmanyofyouhavehadtorecentlyscalebackoreliminateschoolbusservice?8Whatistheresultofthesechallenges?

Theneedtoprioritizeservicesandprogramsoftencausestheschoolleadershipteamtoconsiderreducingcostsbyreducingtransportationservice.9Whyisschoolbusserviceconsistentlyonthechoppingblock?SchoolbusesaretakenforgrantedByparents,administrators,legislatorsandthegeneralpublicPeopleassumeitwillalwaysbetherealthoughthereisnofederalcommitmenttoschooltransportationTransportationbecomesaneasytargetfornegativethinkingInterestgroupsattackschoolbusesonhealth,safetyandenvironmentalissuesBADSTORIESABOUTSCHOOLBUSESMAKEGREATHEADLINES10Headlinesconveyamessage...“Environmentalistsworryabouttheeffectofpollutiononchildrenwhorideschoolbuses”–October23,2006“Dieselmandatehasschools,truckingfirmsconcernedaboutcosts”–October23,2006“Busdrivermayhavemolested100younggirls”–November1,2006“CarCollidesWithSchoolBus;StudentsSenttoHospitals”–October31,2006“Boy,15,ArrestedAfter'BottleBomb'BlowsUpNearSchoolBus”–November1,200611Theresult...ParentscanhavemixedfeelingsaboutyellowschoolbusesParentsgenerallytrustschoolbustransportation,butnotthebusdriverWhileparentstrusttheschoolbus,theystillbelievetheircarissafer

PositiveAttributesNegativeAttributesSafeConvenient/time-savingConcernswithsafetyIncompetent/unprofessionaldriversMisbehaving/noisykidsLong,bumpyrideInconsistentscheduleOld12ParentsareanxiousaboutthequalificationsandhistoryofschoolbusdriversbecauseoflimitedinformationandcontactAlmostallthinkthereshouldbenationalstandardsforschoolbusdrivers,themostimportantofwhicharecriminalbackgroundchecksIFYES:

Whichtypesofstandardswouldbethemostimportanttoimplement?All%(N=963)Criminalbackgroundchecks42Drugandalcoholtests21Driversafetytraining13Drivinghistorychecks11Alloftheabove13Doyouthinkthereshouldbenationalorfederalgovernmentstandardsforschoolbusdriverscreeningandtraining,suchascriminalbackgroundchecks,drugtests,driversafetytraining,etc.?

13WhatParentsDon’tKnow

Theschoolbusindustryoperatesbyasetofsafety,security,healthanddriverqualificationguidelinesthatmeet,andinsomecasesexceed,federalandstatelaws,andensurethatschoolbusesarethesafestmodeoftransportationforournation’sschoolchildren.

14TheAmericanSchoolBusCouncilOneOfAKindAmericanSchoolBusCouncilrepresentsauniqueopportunityFeworganizationslikeit,nomatterwhatindustrySuppliersandtradeorganizationsworkingtogetherforacommoncause:PromotingtheSafety,Security,Economic&EnvironmentalBenefitsoftheYellowSchoolBus15WhatDoesASBCDo?Councilmembersworktogethertoexaminesafety,health,securityandaccesstoeducationissuesforschoolchildrenandpromotestandardsofsafety,securityandenvironmentalresponsibilitythatareaboveandbeyondstateandfederallaw.Councilmembersalsoadvocateforincreasedschooltransportationfunding.

16MembersoftheAmericanSchoolBusCouncilAssociationsNationalAssociationforPupilTransportation(NAPT)NationalAssociationofStateDirectorsofPupilTransportationServices(NASDPTS)NationalSchoolTransportationAssociation(NSTA)ManufacturersBlueBirdCorp.ICCorp.ThomasBuiltBuses17OurGoalsIncreasedRidershipAsthesafestformoftransportationtoandfromschool,theASBCisfocusedongrowingyellowbusridershipthroughawarenessandeducation.Ridership(millionsofchildren)(totalriders)Ridership18OurGoalsIncreasedAwarenessRaiseawarenessfortheyellowschoolbusEducateparents,students,andlawmakersontheadvantagesprovidedbytheyellowschoolbusSafety,Security,Economics,EnvironmentalBenefits19OurGoalsSecureFederalFundingTheschoolbusindustrycurrentlyreceivesminimalfederalfundingdollarsYetwearethelargesttransportationsystemPublictransportationisheavilyfundedbyfederaldollarsASBCgoalisforthefederalgovernmenttorecognizeschooltransportationas“publictransportation〞andprovideequitablefundingtotheschoolbusindustry20ASBCWork SinceitsdebutinNovember2006,theAmericanSchoolBusCouncilhasbeenworkinghardtopromoteschoolbusawarenessandeducationLoveTheBusCampaignProactiveMedia/IssueResponseWebSiteDevelopmentASBCGuidelines/CellPhoneStatementParentalResearchUniformedMessagingPartnershipToolKits

LoveTheBusEvent21ProactiveMedia/IssuesResponseNewspaper,radio,andtelevisioninterviewsincluding:TodayShow,TheWallStreetJournal,USAToday,NYTimes,WashingtonPost,Newsweek,theAssociatedPress,ReutersNewsServices,EducationWeek,L.A.Times,DesMoinesRegister,VoiceofAmerica,LasVegasReviewJournal,KATRadio(NPR),NBCNightlyNews,ChristianScienceMonitor,andtheDetroitFreePress.DailymonitoringofschoolbusnewscoverageLetterstoeditorsandnotestoreporterssentinresponsetoarticlescovering:drivertraining,engineeringsafety,environmentalimpact,safetyandseatbeltsWebSiteDevelopment()AcentralizedresourceofinformationontheschoolbusindustryFactsheetsandpresscontactsformediauseNewsupdatesofpro-buscoverageAnextranetforsharinginternalresourcesASBCWork22ASBCWorkASBCGuidelinesAmericanSchoolBusCouncilhasendorsedGuidelinesonPupilTransportationdesignedtoprovideclear,nationalpracticesGuidelinesendorsedbytheASBCHealthandEnvironmentalSafetyinSchoolBusDesignandConstructionPupilTransportationSafety;VehiclesandProceduresSchoolBusDriverQualifications,Hiring,andTrainingSchoolTransportationSecurityandEmergencyPreparednessVisittheAmericanSchoolBusCouncilwebsiteformoreinformation.

23ASBCWorkResearchPublicOpinionPollConductedin2006-FindingsParentsfavorfederalfundingforschoolbusesParentsciteconvenienceandsocialdevelopmentopportunitiesasadvantagesoftheschoolbusParentsgenerallytrustschoolbustransportation,butnotthebusdriverWhileparentstrusttheschoolbus,theystillbelievetheircarissaferPublicOpinionPollConductedin2021–Findings:Parentsbelievetheschoolbusisaveryimportantpartoftheeducationsystem.Parentsalsobelieveaschoolbusistheonlyreliableformoftransportationformanystudentsandtheabilityofthesestudentstoreceiveagoodeducationwouldbenegativelyimpactedwithoutit.Parentsstronglyagreethatschoolbusescanhelpthemsaveontransportationcostsasfuelcostsrise.Parentsoverwhelminglywouldratherschoolboardsdevelopalternativestocuttingroutesorstopsinordertoreducetheimpactofhighfuelprices.24ASBCandLOVETHEBUSASBCcoordinatespublicinformationfromNASDPTS,NAPT,NSTA,andthebigthreeschoolbusmanufacturersLOVETHEBUSmaterialsnowposted()forValentine’sDayPromotesimportanceofbusdrivers,safetyrecordofschoolbusesPositionsoncellphoneusageandotherguidance25ASBCMessagesMessagingOverallMessage

Yellowschoolbusescomprisethelargesttransportationsysteminthecountry–480,000busestransportingmorethan26millionchildreneachday–andtheyarealsothesafest.Theiruniquedesignandthehighlytrainedandlicensedprofessionalswhodrivethemmakethemthesafestwayforchildrentogettoandfromschool. AlthoughtheyareanAme