LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Public Transportation Safety International (PTS), an innovator of pedestrian safety, announced the release of its first safety shield for school buses that prevents fatalities and injuries to children. “On average, there are three to 12 preventable fatalities each year that occur under the rear wheels of school buses,” said Mark B. Barron, inventor of the shield and CEO of PST.
With five tragic incidents of school bus-related child casualties in Nevada occurring in recent years, the need for a protective rear side shield is imperative. It literally prevents children from being scooped under the bus. “When it comes to a child,” Barron said. “Even one accidental death is one too many.”
The MDZ Shield is the first protective device to eliminate the “danger zone gap” (sometimes as high as two feet) between the school bus tire and right rear wheel well. It can save a child’s life. “I commend the City of Hesperia for being first in the country to implement pre-delivery installation of the MDZ Shield on future school bus orders,” Barron said.
On Nov. 11, 2016, PTS will salute this progressive step for the City of Hesperia with Hesperia Mayor Phil Holland and Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren, along with Senator Mike Morrell, school district board members, and other distinguished guests. The event will take place at the headquarters of the MDZ Shield manufacturer, Turret Punch Company (TPC), located at 7780 Edison Ave., Fontana CA 92336.
Owner of TPC, Steven Lang, says he is hopeful this opportunity will create more jobs, and that he’ll be able to hire more veterans, since his company is based in Southern California. “There’s nothing I’d like better than to be able to create new jobs for veterans,” Lang said.
“I’m proud to say that the City of Hesperia is taking positive action towards ensuring schoolchildren’s safety,” Mayor Holland said. “And we are pleased to be working with Mr. Barron’s award-winning company.”
“Today’s children are more vulnerable than ever to accidents,” Mayor Warren said. “They’re weighed down by heavy backpacks and distracted by hand-held devices. They’re listening to music on headphones and not paying attention to their surroundings. The time is right for parents, educators and legislators to get proactive about these preventable tragedies in their communities.”
Barron looks forward to the opportunity to commend city leadership on being first in the nation to show their proactive commitment to adopt a device that promises to reduce risks to schoolchildren.
About PTS
Founded in 1993, PTS first earned recognition for its contribution to vehicular safety with the development of the S1-GARD, a polyurethane guard which deflects pedestrians out of the path of the right rear wheel well on transit buses. The S-1 GARD is currently in use in 74 U.S. cities, as well as overseas. It has been adopted for use in theme parks (i.e. Disneyworld) and airports. Additionally, it was awarded with the highest Traffic Safety Award for Supplier of the Year at the 2015 Transport Forum in Linköping, Sweden.
But while city transit systems are federally funded, school bus fleets depend on state funding. Cost is therefore a key consideration in the manufacture and implementation of the protective MDZ Shield. As a result, Barron recognizes this need for affordability, and has designed and produced an economical device made by TPC, Inc. in Fontana, California.
About MDZ Shield
Barron explains that since school buses are constructed on a truck chassis, they maintain a high-profile that minimizes the damage from side impact collisions, but allows for a dangerously high gap between the rocker panel and the road’s surface. The MDZ Shield eliminates that gap, thereby addressing the number one danger surrounding child safety in proximity to school buses.
Unlike passive warning safety technology, such as radar, warning lights or digital sensors, all of which rely on driver awareness and/or response, the MDZ Shield is a nonpassive protective device. With skirt-style construction, a lower rocker panel and a spoiler that catches and actively pushes a fallen child out of the way, the MDZ Shield represents an enhancement in the design of modern school buses.
About Turret Punch Company
Turret Punch Company, manufacturer of the S1-GARD, will host the dedication. Founder, William Lang was a veteran of WWII. From the family garage, the company expanded into its first manufacturing plant in Los Angeles, followed by an expansion to a larger facility in Santa Fe Springs. In 2011, the company purchased a new 20,000 square foot building. As the company approaches its 35th year in business, a third generation is being groomed to take over key positions.
Other distinguished guests include: California Highway Patrol Chief Todd Sturges, Sheriff John McMahon, Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, County Supervisor Robert Lovingood, and Hesperia Unified School District Board Member Ella Rogers, along with other notable city and state officials. Also in attendance will be representatives from the National School Transportation Association.
