Blogs

Social Media and School Bus Drivers

Social Media and School Bus Drivers

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for most individuals. As a result, it is seemingly impossible to go through the day without utilizing it for any…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 08 June 2017 12:35
First Take: The Anatomy of Media (Non) Bias

First Take: The Anatomy of Media (Non) Bias

The “Making the Grade” segment produced for PBS by Education Week that aired May 16 dove into the murky waters of three-point, lap-shoulder restraint systems. If you have yet to…
  • Last modified on Monday, 12 June 2017 11:03
PBS Segment on School Bus Seat Belts Hits Nail on Head

PBS Segment on School Bus Seat Belts Hits Nail on Head

PBS News Hour aired a segment last month on seat belts on large school buses. The piece, produced by Education Week, covered what we in the industry know is a…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 01 June 2017 12:17
Perception of Safety

Perception of Safety

When I think about safety I always come back to the following definition: Freedom from risk.  Schools are constantly facing the issue of risk as kids are transported on the school bus. And for many school districts,…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 04 May 2017 09:41
Feeling Secure Boosts Employee, Industry Morale

Feeling Secure Boosts Employee, Industry Morale

Orlando. San Bernardino. San Bernardino, again. Fresno. The list of recent mass shootings, whatever the senseless and abhorrent reasons of the perpetrators, adds to a frightening new normal in our…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 04 May 2017 09:44
It's Time to Start Thinking about Your Safety Competition

It's Time to Start Thinking about Your Safety Competition

Each year, the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) hosts the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition. This is one of the most important events in the industry, with the best…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 27 April 2017 08:40
Is This Just Our Destiny?

Is This Just Our Destiny?

One of the common complaints heard from adults is that the younger generation has lost all sense of civility and courtesy. This is nothing new. In fact, this belief, (falsely)…
  • Last modified on Monday, 17 April 2017 07:53
What is the True Meaning of FAPE?

What is the True Meaning of FAPE?

Riding the school bus is largely a privilege and not a right. Many states spell this out in their regulations. However, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates the…
  • Last modified on Friday, 14 April 2017 17:10
Despite budget uncertainty for many schools across the country the Centralia School District found a colorful rainbow after the rainfall. Photo by Director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Jim Evans from the Centralia School District in Orange County, Ca.

All Questions, No Answers Amid Budgetary Madness

As I sorted through the headlines for inspiration this month, I jumped on cnn.com only to be greeted by numerous stories on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Hidden in plain…
  • Last modified on Thursday, 06 April 2017 13:54
Burns: When Student Behavior Is Not an IEP Issue

Burns: When Student Behavior Is Not an IEP Issue

The title of the TSD Conference Sunday session, “Not All Behavior is an IEP Matter: The Case for Pushback,” certainly leaves us wondering what the rule really is. If behavior…
  • Last modified on Monday, 27 March 2017 15:29
Pauline Gervais, standing in aisle, presents "Foundations of Special Needs" on Saturday at the TSD Conference.

Burns: TSD Conference Tackles Compliance Issues

FRISCO, Texas — Having introduced the dilemma of “What’s So Good About Compliance” some years ago, here I am at TSD Conference blogging about sessions that explore compliance issues in…
  • Last modified on Friday, 15 September 2017 09:04