any disorientation or slurring of words. Yet, Sauer reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.27 when arrested. Stunned, Valley Bus leaders announced they were considering installing breathalyzers in all their buses. Val- ley Bus declined comment for this story, but West Fargo Superintendent David Flowers says Sauer was the exception and not the rule for bus drivers. “We will explore a variety of preventive
strategies,” Flowers adds. “It’s premature to say breathalyzers is the way to go. Tis is an unprecedented occurrence, so we must determine a balance between over- reacting and appropriate precaution. We have outstanding, dedicated drivers that do their job with diligence and responsi- bility. I don’t want them to be demoralized and feel they are unappreciated.” West Fargo Transportation Director
Robin Hill says, despite her district’s thor- ough screening process, not everything appears on a background check. “A person’s tendencies are not re-
vealed on a background check,” Hill says. “Certainly, if something does appear, we adjudicate that appropriately.” Oversights also occur in smaller districts lack human resources departments.
that
Coloma (Mich.) Community Schools Super- intendent Terry Ann Boguth says her district’s screening and record keeping improved as a result of the former transportation director missing a driver’s 2007 DUI arrest. “Now we’re not just leaving it up to the
transportation director,” Boguth says. “I’ve been here nine years, and this is probably my biggest nightmare. We have a zero- tolerance policy for alcohol and drug use. We’ve got great drivers who work hard to make sure kids are home safely. My advice is to always have a checks-and-balances system in place and do not rely on one de- partment to review everything.” Citizen’s groups and state agencies have
implored school districts to exercise tighter scrutiny on school bus drivers, albeit most- ly for traffic violations. In 2008, Missouri
74437_4494_7x4.625_GSB2 1/30/08 7:30 PM Page 1
discovered 82 school bus drivers listed in the state’s sex offender registry. Te state requires fingerprint-based FBI and criminal background checks, but districts are left to their own devices in dealing with offenders. Te U.S. Government Accountability Of-
fice (GAO) released a report in December titled, “K-12 Education: Selected Cases of Public and Private Schools Tat Hired or Retained Individuals with Histories of Sexual Misconduct.” Te report examines 15 case histories, none of which involved bus driv- ers. Te report’s appendix, however, includes summaries of state statutes regarding the hiring of school employees, some of which specifically mention school bus drivers. Ultimately, success in hiring bus drivers
is a combination of process and luck. “I’m not aware of any database you can
have confidence in 100 percent,” Hinson says. “It is critical for transportation de- partments to create a culture in which staff places a high priority on safety by holding each other accountable.” ■
For reliable air conditioning, turn to the people with advanced degrees. Carrier offers the most extensive line of split and rooftop AC units to optimize system performance on any school bus, small to large. And they’re all backed by expert support. Maybe that’s why more school buses in North America cool with Carrier. Call Carrier Transport AC, 1.800.673.2431. Or visit our Web site. For AC that’s an A+.
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©2008 Carrier Corporation A member of the United Technologies Corporation Family. Stock symbol UTX.
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