2012 Medical Card Regulation Changes Affect All CDL Holders Effective Jan. 30, all states began including the Department of


Transportation (DOT) physical certification on the commercial driver motor vehicle report, according to the National School Transportation Association. Te new mandate means that every school bus driver with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) will be required to “self-certify.” After bus drivers complete a DOT physical, they must submit


an original or copy of their current medical examiner’s certificate to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles either by mail, fax or in person. If a school bus driver does not self-certify, his or her driving status will be downgraded from a CDL to a regular driver’s license. Drivers will also lose their endorsements and will not be able to operate a school bus, according to the Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA). PSBA noted in a recent newsletter that CDL holders “must


retain paper copies of their drivers’ medical certificates in their driver qualification files…to ensure the medical qualifications of CDL holders until all states are able to post the medical self- certification and medical examiner’s certificate data on the


New York State Director of Pupil Transportation Retires


After 16 Years Longtime student transportation industry insider and state


director Marion Edick stepped down on Dec. 30, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) announced. Edick served as the state director of pupil transportation


since 1995 and received the Friend of NYAPT award in recognition of her many accomplishments. NYAPT Executive Director Peter Mannella told School Transportation News that Edick will be difficult to replace because of her vast experience and dedication. “Looking back on her tenure, we recognize her work with


the state’s School Bus Driver Instructor program, which is the linchpin for training our drivers,” Mannella said. “Marion was very loyal to that program and worked hard to preserve its integrity and quality. She worked with both districts and contractors to ensure that all involved in school transportation had access to information and had input in the work of her office.” Te association noted some of her key accomplishments


within the industry, including implementation of physical performance tests for school bus drivers and of statutorily required training regarding special needs students (PJ’s Law) for school bus drivers, attendants and monitors. Edick also developed programs supported by the $400,000 training fund, including Master Instructor trainings and continuation of the Professional Development Series. Edick is at least the seventh state director nationwide to retire in the past year and a half.


Commercial Driver’s License Information System.” As an employer, school district transportation departments


should ensure that their CDL drivers have accurate and current addresses on file with the state DOT because, if they are not current, the self-certification letter and form will not be forwarded.


BIZ BITES: First Student announced that Autobus Transco, a wholly


owned subsidiary based in Montreal, has acquired Transport St. Leonard for $8.5 million. Effective Jan. 9, the deal added 150 school buses to Autobus’ area operations and increased its fleet size to 400 … IMMI’s Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE) in Westfield, Ind., was named 2011 Crash Test Facility of the Year by Automotive Testing Technology International magazine. CAPE was recognized for its development of safety systems for commercial vehicles, its continued investment in supporting testing equipment and its role in helping IMMI bring its RollTek rollover protection system to fire-apparatus OEMs … Atlantic Express reported that is has reduced its fuel consumption by 8 percent in its vehicles equipped with GreenRoad. It stated that GreenRoad helps its customers to improve MPG by up to 10 percent and lower both maintenance bills and insurance premiums. Blue Bird Corporation announced factory training dates for customers of its Vision and All American school bus models. Training for the Vision begins next month with additional dates scheduled for July 16-19 and Oct. 1-4. The All American training will be held April 2-5 and July 23-26. Workshops will included dual-zone multiplex systems, SCR emissions technology and a complete factory tour … Safe Start Transportation of Toms River, N.J., which provides school bus transportation services to north-central New Jersey, has been acquired by Student Transportation Inc. The transaction was initiated and negotiated on behalf of Safe Start by Sun Mergers & Acquisitions.


www.stnonline.com 15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60