During 2023, articles relating to school bus fatalities and the school bus driver shortage were among the most popular web articles viewed by readers.
Three out of the 10 most-viewed articles reported on on-board school bus incidents involving parents and students.
The following countdown of news articles indicates the date of publishing and reader views, according to Google Analytics reports.
TOP 10 MOST POPULAR ONLINE ARTICLES
10. Viral Tirade Video Shines Light on Plight of School Bus Drivers
(Published on April 6, 2023)
A video recorded from a student’s cell phone showed former Amherst Exempted Village School bus driver Jackie Miller from Cleveland, Ohio, yelling at students on board the school bus on March 29, 2023. The 2-minute video obtained millions of views on social media platforms. Miller resigned from her position quickly after the incident, knowing things would not end well for her and she was ultimately in the wrong. She was interviewed by STN and explained her frustration regarding the behavior of four junior high students on a route of more than 50 that go back to the previous year. Miller received support from Jeff Grob who came across the video and with the help of a GoFundMe page provided financial support to Miller. Miller also spoke on a panel discussion at STN EXPO Reno in July about the impact of student behavior on the school bus driver shortage.
9. Delaware Parent Facing Charges After Hitting School Bus
(Published on Dec. 5, 2023)
A Springer Middle School parent faced charges for allegedly hitting and shattering a school bus window on Nov. 30. The bus driver did not allow their child board the bus after the student missed the bus that is assigned to them. The engaged parent responded by strking the bus window with either their fist or a hard object. The window shattered and glass fell on five students who were on board the bus. No injuries to the students were reported.
8. Alabama Teacher and School Bus Driver Struck, Killed by School Bus
(Published on Feb. 6, 2023)
A Jefferson County Schools history teacher, who was also a local church pastor, and school bus driver was performing his pre-check inspection at the start of his route on Jan. 25, when the bus began to roll and struck him. The 58-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. He is survived by his wife and four children.
7. Convicted Murderer of Tennessee School Bus Driver Joyce Gregory Released.
(Published on Sept. 29, 2023)
On March 2, 2005, 14-year-old Jason Clinard shot and killed his school bus driver Joyce Gregory as she sat behind the wheel. Gregory was the first school bus driver to be murdered in the line of duty and Clinard was set to serve at least 51 years before he was to be released. However, after serving approximately 18 years in prison, Clinard was released in September when his case was remanded to juvenile court following decades of appeals. Eric Watkins, the director of transportation for Stewart County Schools and Gregory’s supervisor at the time of her death, received a phone call on Sept. 19 regarding the potential release of Clinard. Watkins told STN reporters that he was upset to hear of this young man’s release as his crime was premeditated first-degree murder.
6. Tennessee Mom Attacks Bus Driver After Son Can’t Get Off Bus
(Published on July 21, 2023)
A Memphis Elementary school bus driver was attacked by the mother of a student after he would not allow the student to be dropped off at a new location. News reports stated the unidentified student was on board the bus when he asked the bus driver to drop him off at a new location. The bus driver notified the student that it was against the rules and did not let him get off at the new stop. The student called his mother, who got out of her car carrying a baseball bat and started swinging it at the bus passenger side door, breaking the glass. The bus driver went to the hospital for treatment as he suffered severe swelling and bruising to his right arm and hand.
5. Update: Pennsylvania School District Turns to Remote Learning During Bus Driver Shortage
(Published Oct. 2, 2023)
West Shore School District in central Pennsylvania was fully back to in-person classes after a bus driver shortage resulted in two weeks of partial virtual learning for students at three school campuses. School bus contractor First Student was unable to hire the 10 drivers needed to operate the buses, which resulted in virtual classes twice a week for high schools. The district returned to normal operations after making the necessary adjustments for pick-up and drop-off times and existing drivers covered multiple runs.
4. Florida School Bus Driver Arrested After Girl is Left on Bus, Drove Around for Hours
(Published on Oct. 10, 2023)
A Florida school bus driver Elizabeth Carrero was arrested on Oct. 5 and was charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. Carrero picked up a child on Sept. 19 at her home along with 11 other students and dropped them off at school. Carrero then unknowingly drove around town for a few hours with a 4-year-old girl who had fallen asleep and went unnoticed. Carrero then drove home and parked, getting off the bus. T child woke up at approximately 11 a.m. and a neighbor spotted her. They knocked on Carrero’s door and eventually called the child’s parents to come pick her up.
3. . North Carolina Student Arrested for Shooting Gun on School Bus
(Published on April 11, 2023)
A 14-year-old brought a gun onto the school bus and accidentally discharged it, shooting a 16-year-old in the buttocks. Police said they believe it was unintentional. However, the student was arrested was not cooperating with the investigation. The gun had not been located at the time the article was written.
2. Update: 2022-2023 National School Bus Loading Zone Survey Reports 3 Fatalities
(Published on Nov. 9, 2023)
Keith Dreiling, state director of the School Bus Safety Unit at the Kansas State Department of Education, released the findings during the closing day of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services Annual Conference in Arlington, Virginia. According to the the National School Bus Loading and Unloading survey conducted annually by the KSDE School Bus Safety Unit, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and Rhode Island refused to participate. The fewest number of student deaths reported over the past decade is two during the 2019-2020 school year, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022-2023 results were the second fewest fatalities reported. In 53 years of survey results, nearly 73 percent of loading and unloading deaths, school buses have been the cause of 714 fatalities while other vehicles caused 499 deaths. “Other information” accounted for 54 fatalities. The ride to school has been the deadliest time for students, accounting for 812 fatalities.
1. Proterra Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
(Published on Aug. 15, 2023)
Proterra, a provider of battery and drivetrain technology for electric school buses and transit buses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. No immediate impact is expected for customers of the current “Jouley” Saf-T-Liner C2 model manufactured by Thomas Built Buses. Proterra’s shares lost nearly half their value following the Chapter 11 filing. The company headquartered in the San Francisco, California area listed its assets and liabilities in the range of $500 million to $1 billion. The company reportedly has a market value of $362 million. Since the filing, Volvo Battery Solutions won a bid to purchase Proterra Powered business line for $210 million and Phoenix Motorcars, a publicly traded U.S.-based manufacturer of electric medium-duty trucks, shuttle buses and school buses, won the bid to acquire Proterra’s Transit business line.
