MAILBAG
THE TRANSITIONAL STOP Pete Meslin’s article “Special Education Bus Service: Towards a Less-
Restrictive Environment” in the February 2011 issue of STN [page 42] is an important contribution to a major industry issue. Te article describes a simple but effective process to move special education students away from a curb-side pickup to the corner stop. Pete is careful to note the concerns are real but the potential gains of greater independence and development for both the child and the family make the process a worthy one to pursue. Tank you.
John Fahey, Versatrans Consultant Buffalo, N.Y.
Editor’s note — Want to write an opinion piece on an issue pertaining to the industry? E-mail us at
ryan@stnonline.com or
stephane@stnonline.com.
BIG YELLOW SURPRISE You may have heard, our new governor, Rick Snyder, has proposed dras-
tic cuts to the K-12 budget here in Michigan. I thought you may enjoy a story from Taylor, Mich., which is located just west of Detroit. Talk about thinking outside of the box. I have enjoyed your magazine over the years and it seems like it is only getting better. Tanks for what you do.
Kim Hooper, Transportation Consultant Wayne County (Mich.) Regional Education Service Agency
Editor’s note — Te photo caption in “Te News-Herald” refers to the pur- chase of a used, 48-passenger school bus by Service Employees International Union Local 26M using revenue generated from hall rentals. Union mem- bers surprised district officials with the bus on March 3. Te idea to buy the used bus came from Local 26M President Lynda Roberts, who asked the union’s executive board to consider purchasing the bus for the district. Read more at
www.stnonline.com/go/774
Heard on the Web Te following is a response from Don Buerer, the driver supervisor and trainer for Marysville Joint Unified School District in Marysville, Calif., to the question “How is safety improving for school bus occupants?” posted on
STNSOCiAL.com.
“We recently got two new 40-foot buses with the required higher seats and lap/shoulder belts (required in California). I received a complaint from a dad that his son had to sit on the aisle because the bus was full. I reviewed the video and found that there were seats available (five girls got on after him and found seats). It does appear that he may have been on the floor in the aisle. We have one camera in front and one facing toward the back showing the last five seats. Tis student was seated at about seat six from the front, so it was hard to see for sure. I wondered why the driver did not see him in the aisle, so I had that driver (who is short) sit in the driver’s seat while I sat on the floor in the aisle at seat six from the back (I am 6-feet tall). With the high seats and her short stature, she could not see any part of me. Te higher seats may be a good thing for crash safety, but now we have blind spots inside the bus as well as outside.”
10 School Transportation News Magazine April 2011
5334 Torrance Blvd., 3rd Floor, Torrance, CA 90503 Tel: 310/792-2226 Fax: 310-792-2231
www.stnonline.com
Publisher: Tony Corpin Editor: Ryan Gray
Senior Editor: Stephane Babcock Senior Designer: Kimber Horne Graphic Designer: Maria Molina Copy Editor: Janna Smeltzer
Contributing Editors:
Linda Bluth, Peggy Burns, Michelle Fisher, John Whelan, Dick Fischer, Denny Coughlin, Ned Einstein, Glen Moyer, Art Gissendaner, Anson Stewart
Vice President: Colette Paul General Manager: Branden Smeltzer Ad Sales: Tony Corpin Circulation: Andrea Hernandez
Chairman of the Board: Bill Paul, STN Media Group
Editorial Advisory Board: Denny Coughlin, Consultant; Judith Dupille, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; Dick Fischer, Trans-Consult; Ron Love, Delaware DOE; Randy McLerran, Oklahoma DOE; Pete Meslin, Newport-Mesa Unified; Nancy Netherland, Migrant- Seasonal Head Start; Robert Pudlewski, First Student; Alexandra Robinson, NAPT; Launi Schmutz, Washington County Schools
How to Write or E-mail STN
School Transportation News welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and are subject to editing for grammar, style and space. Submissions must be legible, include a signature, job title/employer name, valid mailing and/or e-mail address, and telephone number. Unsigned letters or letters signed only with a pseudonym or initials will not be used. Email letters to:
stephane@stnonline.com or
ryan@stnonline.com or send via U.S. Post to: School Transportation News P.O. Box 789, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
School Transportation News Magazine is published by:
The views and opinions in SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION NEWS are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.
For permission to reuse materials in this publication contact STN editor Ryan Gray, at
ryan@stnonline.com, or by phone at 310/792-2226 or by fax at 310- 792-2231. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.
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