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New School Bus Rider Safety Website Now Live!
A new school bus rider safety website has been published by the Ontario Education Cooperative Marketplace (OECM) to help support school bus safety in Ontario. The materials are free to download. As noted on the website, the information is: “Funded by the Government of Ontario, this website provides access to standardized school bus rider safety training materials and key information, in English and French, for students, parents/guardians, teachers/school staff, and transportation professionals including consortia members, bus operators, and drivers!”
OSBA provided input into the development of some of the materials along with feedback from other organizations within the Ontario student transportation industry, including the Independent School Bus Operators Association (ISBOA) and the Ontario Association of School Business Officials (OASBO).
One of the primary goals of the new website is to promote a standard approach for a school bus driver crossing signal to help improve student safety when crossing in front of a school bus. OSBA will be assisting in increasing awareness of the website and driver crossing signal through a social media campaign running through the month of August in preparation for “Back to School”. Be sure to keep an eye out for the campaign by checking the OSBA Facebook page or following us on Twitter @ontschoolbus!
The School Bus Rider Safety website is available here.
For questions/further information, members are encouraged to contact OSBA’s Safety and Legislation Team at 416.695.9965 Ext. 4 or abugeya@osba.on.ca
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Zonar Releases Back-to-School Bus Safety Guide
Full Article: School Bus Fleet
Article Date: August 6, 2019
 With summer almost over, smart fleet management technology supplier Zonar has created a back-to-school guide to provide motorists with tips on how to drive safely around school buses.
According to the American School Bus Council, school buses are the safest mode of transportation for students. However, since 2007, there has been an increase in injuries to school bus drivers by nearly 33% while on the job.
Analyzing injury and accident data over the past 10 years, Zonar also found that:
- 87% of accidents involving a school bus were caused by another vehicle; 40% involved a vehicle rear-ending a stopped or slowing school bus, and 20% involved a driver T-boning the bus at an intersection.
- Accidents involving school buses take place most frequently at the beginning (September) and at the end (June) of the school year.
- On average, most school bus accidents caused by speeding occur in May and November (more than a third of accidents during these months involve one vehicle going over the speed limit).
"During the school year, school bus drivers ensure their passengers reach their destinations safely and on time," said H. Kevin Mest, Senior Vice President of Passenger Services at Zonar. "Not only should we recognize the men and women who play such a crucial role in our children's lives, but the general public driving near school buses should also take on the responsibility for helping them stay safe and making sure we aren’t inadvertently causing accidents or injuries."
The guide for motorists includes tips such as: driving no more than 25 mph near school buses or bus stops, maintaining about a three-second distance away from a bus, and never passing a stopped bus on an undivided road.
Download the full guide here.
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Blue Bird Donates School Bus to Georgia Boys & Girls Clubs
Full Article: Orillia Matters
Article Date: July 30, 2019
Blue Bird donated one of its Blue Bird Vision Gasoline school buses to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany (GA). The new bus, which was delivered to the clubs during a private event at the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Unit, will be used to transport students in Albany, Plains, and Montezuma to afterschool programs, field trips, and other outings, according to the school bus manufacturer.
 “We are extremely grateful for this donation, as it allows us to fulfill our mission,” said Marvin B. Laster, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany. “It is paramount to our organization, as transportation is a huge challenge in these communities. We need our children to have access to the programs we offer, and this bus will be an integral part of our operations.”
Former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter, who are honorary co-chairs of the clubs, were also in attendance. “Blue Bird’s donation of this brand-new school bus is greatly appreciated,” Carter said. “It is heartwarming to see an organization like Blue Bird, which has been an important part of the south Georgia community, continuing to serve children through the gift of transportation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany.”
“When President Carter asked for our help, we were delighted to assist such a worthy cause,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird. “We have been a part of the community in south Georgia since 1927, and it’s our pleasure to provide the Boys & Girls Clubs with safe and reliable transportation for their children.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany have been in operation for over 50 years and serve more than 3,000 children through membership and outreach programs, according to Blue Bird. The new bus is expected to start transporting students later this year.
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Spaces Available for Remaining 2019 P.R.I.D.E. Programs
Register now for the 2019 Professional Instructor in Driver Education (P.R.I.D.E.) Programs! See below for dates and details. For almost 30 years, the P.R.I.D.E. Program has been providing fleet driver instructors with powerful, non-lecture adult training techniques and philosophies that resonate with drivers and help maintain safe driving habits.
 2019 Regular P.R.I.D.E. Certification Program:
View the full 2019 Program Brochure here
View the 2019 Registration Form here
2019 P.R.I.D.E. Recertification Program:
View the full 2019 Recertification Program Brochure here
View the 2019 Recertification Registration Form here
For questions or more information - please visit http://www.osba.on.ca/programs or contact info@osba.on.ca
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Go-Ahead Sets Goal to Double Female Representation Across Bus Operations
Full Article: Intelligent Transport
Article Date: July 29, 2019
The Go-Ahead Group from the UK has launched a campaign to encourage more women to apply for jobs in the bus industry – including driving buses, maintaining vehicles and managing depots.
In addressing the long-standing lack of gender diversity in public transport, Go-Ahead is taking steps to encourage women to take up positions in its bus companies. Its efforts include:
- Setting a company-wide target to increase female representation from 11 percent to 20 percent of the bus workforce by 2025.
- Establishing a “Women in Bus” employee network, open to all, to support, develop and empower female colleagues.
- Creating female-focused recruitment campaigns, open days and training opportunities.
- Continuing to build its high-quality bus driver apprenticeship program.
Go-Ahead employs 14,000 people in its UK bus companies. Historically, very few women have worked in front-line roles in public transport – an issue common across both bus and rail. Go-Ahead’s companies are implementing recruitment campaigns and creating initiatives to showcase opportunities, in the aim of doubling the number of women in their workforce over the coming years.
 Go-Ahead Group People Director, Siobhan Morrison, said: “Women and men of all ages and backgrounds travel on our buses. We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our passengers and communities, so there are great opportunities for women to work in our bus businesses. Equality is at the heart of our culture and we are committed to attracting more females into roles throughout the business.
“Go-Ahead places a premium on an inclusive and diverse workforce and research has shown that women are more likely to aim high where they can see women in leadership positions. Go-Ahead has recently appointed Elodie Brian as its first female Chief Financial Officer, so we are challenging stereotypes and leading the way in securing skills from the widest possible talent pool”.
Go-Ahead’s Women in Bus network will provide visible role models to colleagues, and create a forum for women to raise issues, share experiences and support each other. The network will be used as a forum for discussion on relevant policies, and it will bring women together to share learning and work experiences. It will be open to both women and men – from front-line colleagues to supervisors, engineers, and senior executives. Support from male colleagues will be integral to the success of the network.
“We want to encourage change within our industry – attracting more women to the profession and equipping our female colleagues to progress their careers. We are committed to removing the obstacles that block women from reaching their full potential and having a workforce as diverse as the public we serve,” said Go-Ahead CEO David Brown.
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School Bus Songs: ‘I Drive A Bus And It’s All Because…’
Full Article: School Bus Fleet
Article Date: August 5, 2019
Transportation staff at the School District of Manatee County (FL) put their own spin on Montell Jordan’s popular hit “This is How We Do It," showing what it takes to drive a big yellow bus. (The video concept was inspired by another parody posted in 2012 by Jeremy Byler.)
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Thomas Built Buses, Trans Tech Partner to Introduce New Type A School Bus
Full Article: School Bus Fleet
Article Date: July 30, 2019
Thomas Built Buses has partnered with Type A school bus manufacturer Trans Tech to introduce a new narrow-body Type A school and activity bus. The new bus, called the Minotrek, can carry up to 20 passengers, has a 138-inch chassis platform, and is available with a gasoline or diesel engine, according to a news release from Daimler Trucks North America, the parent company of Thomas Built Buses.
“As one of the leaders in Type A school bus manufacturing, we are delighted to partner with Trans Tech on this new Type A option for the industry,” said Caley Edgerly, President, and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “This pairing will bring together the fuel-efficient innovations that Trans Tech is known for along with Thomas Built’s quality, durability, safety, and reliability. The Minotrek will be a great addition for schools, childcare centers, churches, activity centers, and youth organizations looking for a new option.”
The Minotrek is also available with multiple seating styles and an array of optional features, according to Daimler.
“We are proud to partner with Thomas Built Buses and are honored that they chose Trans Tech to manufacture their new Minotrek Type A school bus,” said John Phraner, President of Trans Tech. “Our partnership with Thomas Built Buses will provide even greater product choice for school districts and contractors alike.”
For more information about the Minotrek Type A school and activity bus, contact your local Thomas Built Buses dealer here.
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Colorado Court Ruling Stresses Importance of Documenting Employee Illnesses
Full Article: School Transportation News
Article Date: June 17, 2019
Chronic nausea that is associated with taking medication might not seem like a big deal. But if you don’t formally report it to your employer, chances are that protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be of little help. That’s the lesson from a recent court ruling in Colorado, involving two student transportation employees with undocumented illnesses and frequent, unexcused breaks.
“Unfortunately, most employers are not going to take a step back, stop the disciplinary process or the investigative process, and decide whether or not there’s a disability issue,” said Denver-based attorney Christopher Lujan, referencing a recent case in which he represented a former bus driver and monitor in their lawsuit against Westminster Public Schools. “Most employers are not going to do that, and that’s unfortunate, especially in this case, because until they got sick, you had two high-performing, long-serving employees. You would have thought they would have gotten the benefit of the doubt.”
Westminster Public Schools, which is located in Adams County (CO), hired Deborah Solis as a monitor and Janet Thompson as an on-call bus driver in 1996. Thompson was granted permanent status at the beginning of 1997. Westminster Public Schools, which is located north of Denver (CO) currently employs 26 drivers and 11 monitors to transport 3,692 students along urban routes. General education routes average 46 miles, while special education routes can stretch 65.5 miles. In total, the district serves 9,277 students. The district also made local headlines earlier this year, when it offered to pay entry-level teachers an annual salary of $50,497, which is the highest base salary in Colorado.
After Thompson underwent a breast biopsy in 2012, she was prescribed medication to reduce her risk of further developing cancer. The medication’s side effects included nausea and vomiting, and with that, an increased need for bathroom breaks. Solis, who suffers from neurofibromatosis and uses a permanent urostomy pouch, also needed extra breaks.
 They began servicing route 22 for students with special needs in 2013, and regularly stopped the bus—when empty—to make bathroom breaks, as needed. They said they assumed their supervisors knew and condoned the practice because they claimed other employees stopped for smoke breaks or to make house calls. There didn’t seem to be an issue until new supervisors started looking into driver behavior on their routes.
An investigation by the district of the two women found that Solis and Thompson frequently stopped at a 7-11. The district had a video of Thompson and Solis “planning to ‘stall’ before returning to the transportation garage.” According to court documents, Westminster Public Schools possessed no paperwork that showed Solis and Thompson had a medical condition that required extra breaks.
Citing misconduct because the pair was allegedly “falsifying timesheets and leaving duty assignments without authorization,” both human resources and the Westminster Education Association union recommended that Thompson and Solis resign to avoid being fired.
“One common defense to an ADA claim is the employer claims they did not know. In fact, you saw that in this case,” Lujan said.
Neither Thompson nor Solis submitted formal requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or doctor notes, until after they were being investigated by the district. Federal Judge William Martinez concluded that without this key piece of evidence, no reasonable jury would find in their favor. On May 8, Martinez issued a summary judgment in favor of Westminster Public Schools.
Lujan agreed. “When employees are bringing up disabilities in the midst of an investigation into their wrongdoing, by then, it’s probably too late,” he added.
Still, there is a lesson for employees and employers alike. “Had human resources been more proactive in identifying the issues here, all of this could have been avoided,” said Lujan, who previously worked in the human resources department for the City and County of Denver. He explained that a proactive human resources team could not only ensure employees understood their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but also could have followed up after noticing an employee made frequent trips to the doctor.
In an industry where a sedentary lifestyle often leads to health issues, Lujan added that taking an interest in employee health helps with both retention and reducing healthcare costs. Lujan’s advice to drivers focused on two key points: “No. 1: Go to a doctor often. No. 2: When these employees first start encountering [an] illness that impacts their ability to do their jobs, they need to have that documented and provided to HR, ASAP.”
Both employees and organizations need to be aware that there are two key exceptions to the Americans with Disabilities Act:
- Requested accommodations must be reasonable.
- The law does not excuse wrongdoing.
The district and its attorneys declined to comment on the case, except to say that “the court ruling speaks for itself.”
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Electrical Problems Probably Sparked School Bus Fires, Company Says
Full Article: School Transportation News
Article Date: June 17, 2019
An electrical short circuit igniting transmission oil or power steering fluid was probably the cause of the fires that consumed two school buses that had been transporting more than 100 day-camp children and monitors, officials with the bus company said. The buses had been evacuated before the fire broke out following a collision between the two vehicles on Highway 640 in St-Eustache (QC) at 9:45 a.m. on July 23rd. No one was seriously injured.
Judging from firefighters’ reports and video footage, which showed the two buses in flames and emitting thick black smoke, the second bus’s alternator may have broken in the collision, causing a short circuit that caused some form of oil to catch fire, said André Southière, General Manager of Autobus Rive-Sud. The company has a fleet of 110 vehicles and provides services to two school boards.
 Although the buses involved in the accident were powered by propane, the tanks and fuel line system are too secure for them to have been the cause of the blaze, Southière said. Explosions heard at the scene were caused by tires exploding, not the tanks.
The St-Eustache fire department said it sprayed the buses’ propane tanks to keep them from overheating and possibly exploding. Because it’s not considered a criminal event, the department is not investigating the cause of the blaze, division chief Steve Gatien said.
The bus drivers involved in the accident were uninjured but badly shaken, Southière said. Both buses were completely destroyed. “It’s certain that for them, it was a very traumatic incident, especially since there were children aboard,” he said, noting that both drivers are parents in their 40s, with several years of experience as drivers. They will be on paid leave until early August at least to give them time to recuperate, Southière said.
The children on the buses, ages 6 to 10, were headed for a day on the water at Oka Beach with their day camp run by the City of Brossard. They had almost reached their destination when traffic on the westbound 640 suddenly slowed. The first bus struck a Toyota Corolla that braked suddenly, Southière said, and the bus following behind ran into the first. It was the second bus that first caught fire and eventually ignited the one in front. Three other buses loaded with children from the day camp continued on to Oka Beach.
Sûrété du Québec spokesperson Stéphane Tremblay said it was possibly tailgating or a moment’s inattention on the part of the first driver that led to the initial accident. No criminal charges will be laid. Mechanical failure is not considered a factor. It’s not uncommon for fires to break out as a result of vehicle collisions, he noted.
The 83 children and 19 counselors immediately exited the buses and stayed on the side of the road. The employees of nearby car dealerships used a ladder to carry the children over a fence and then sheltered them in their businesses. Sixty-seven children were taken to the St-Eustache hospital as a precaution, and a few were treated for minor injuries, mainly bruises. There were no fractures. The children watched movies at the hospital while awaiting inspection, and were eventually picked up by their parents at 4 p.m.
Local health authorities will be contacting parents to offer counselling on how to help their children cope with the incident. Those who feel their children need additional counselling can contact the psychosocial department of the CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre. Support will also be given to counselors and employees who were on the trip, Brossard city spokesman Alain Gauthier said.
Autobus Rive-Sud will be offering parents and their children tours of their premises and school buses in the coming weeks, as well as small presents for the children, in case some are anxious about riding in a school bus when classes start again.
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Order Your OSBA Publications Now!
Visit the OSBA website at www.osba.on.ca and click on the "STORE" tab from the home page to order the following OSBA publications. Or click on the links below and go directly to each order form:
Once you have completed the necessary order form, please scan/email it to info@osba.on.ca or fax it to 416-695-9977.
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