A beloved Chicago school bus driver was shot and killed as he climbed into the car his mother had given to him a week prior as she feared for his safety during his morning commute to work. The 61-year-old Army veteran was described as “a good person.”
“There was no reason for this to happen. None whatsoever,” said the victim’s sister. Relatives recounted that while the victim had no children of his own, he cared deeply for the children he drove to school daily, a role he held for nearly a decade.The wheels on the bus go round and round; however, there are times when that expectation does not go as planned.
A Tennessee school bus experienced this misfortune after its back wheels fell off. The bus was pulling away from school with a handful of high school students on board when the driver applied the brakes and the back axle broke away. Not one was hurt. Investigators blame a rusted tie bolt, a part that is usually hidden, believing it had been damaged for some time. According to the company that bought the 15-year-old bus in 2013, records reveal that inspections were conducted semi-annually since the purchase, which the bus regularly passed. The tie bolt, it should be noted, can only been seen when the axle is taken apart. “There’s nothing you can inspect, or see through an inspection,” said the company general manager. It has been acknowledged by school officials and parents that it was lucky the incident occurred in front of the school and not on a busy highway.
Bus drivers around Arizona are gaining driving experience virtually. This simulated training program was the brainchild of an insurance company that covers almost 250 schools districts around the Grand Canyon State. “It is crazily popular,” said a loss control consultant for the insurers. The simulations are conducted throughout the year to increase safety and reduce financial risks. The program began in 2008 when there was roughly $4 million a year lost in claims. After putting the virtual training into effect, that number has dropped to $1 million.
A North Carolina school bus driver was cited for failing to yield at an intersection, the resulting wreck sending one student to the hospital. The bus, which had 42 elementary students aboard, pulled in front of the truck, the collision causing minimal damage to both vehicles. None of the five people in the truck were harmed. The student transported to the hospital was treated for minor injuries and released. Three sets of parents arrived at the scene to pick up their children while the remaining students were eventually taken to school.
