with the company, along with medical screenings. “Te safety and security of the six million
students we transport daily is our core val- ue,” says First Student spokesman Timothy
❝
seat, open the door, sit on the bus floor and scoot to the ground in 20 seconds. A 56-year-old, 300-pound male driver passed the test when it was introduced in 2009 as did a 70-year-old female driver.
Our drivers have to be healthy physically and mentally. Safety is our main concern and
always has been. ❞ — Donavan Harrington, Teton Stage Lines in Blackfoot, Idaho
Stokes. “Te PPDT makes sure all drivers have the basic ability to handle emergency situations and any daily occurrences they may encounter while driving a school bus.” Te toughest part of the PPDT requires
drivers and monitors to drag a 125-pound duffle bag the length of the bus in 30 sec- onds; run up and down the school bus steps three times in 30 seconds; move to the back of the bus from the driver’s
Still, the test is not the gauntlet Mike
Knight negotiated to evacuate his stu- dents. Knight and other BMAC drivers must conform to Harford’s elevated re- quirements, which mean annual medical exams and physical fitness tests. “Anytime an individual goes on a medical
leave for anything that would impact their capacity as a driver, we require them to have [a complete physical] again,” says Harford
Transportation Director Charles Taibi. Medical screenings provide a baseline
for driver health. However, practical ex- perience has proven that neither age nor weight is an accurate predictor of physical performance. Lifestyle and habits tend to be more accurate indicators. “I’m finding that my younger drivers are a
lot less healthy than my older drivers,” says Reed Miles, owner of Miles Bus Company in Idaho. “My older drivers have better di- ets, lower blood pressure, better heart rates and they’re not as prone to stress.” Litchfield (Ariz.) Elementary District
Transportation Supervisor Jeff Walker said his best drivers have been older. “Le- gally I can’t judge a person by their age or physical appearance. You walk a fine line between discrimination and child safety.” Complete medical histories are para-
mount to a good examination. Doctors check for hypertension, diabetes, vision, hearing, musculoskeletal conditions and, more recently, sleep apnea. Big disquali-
AX-0009 Privitization ad STN:AX-0009 Privitization ad STN 7/12/10 3:31 PM Page 1
Atlantic Express fleets have access to and can be equipped with GreenRoad™, a high tech personalized driving coach combined with GPS that provides immediate feedback to help measure, improve and sustain safe and fuel-efficient driving decisions. Drivers, transportation managers and any other personnel are provided access to web-based performance reports and analysis. The system empowers drivers and fleets to reduce crashes, improve fuel economy and reduce overall vehicle operating costs.
GreenRoad is just one of the innovations you can expect when you choose Atlantic Express for your student transportation. Let us provide safe, clean, reliable transportation for your school district. To learn more, call 1-800-336-3886 ext. 8073.
7 North Street Staten Island, NY 10302
www.atlanticexpress.com 48 School Transportation News Magazine May 2011
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