MAILBAG
STOPPING QUESTION After reading your Top Story in the March issue in regards to the
Missouri fatal crash (page 18), several maintenance issues came into question. It is my belief that type “D” transit buses should not have hydraulic brakes as an option. Air brakes are a far better system. We could have debates discussing “lag time” and related issues with air brakes, but the bottom line is air brake-equipped buses stop better by design, have heavier components and more stopping power. Te article mentions sections of the brake pad missing; the heat generated on those pads by stopping a large mas- sive load, melts the friction material off the backing plates. Our fleet once used hydraulic disc brakes on some small
conventional buses. We had to constantly monitor the friction material becoming loose. Safety should never be compromised by lack of maintenance, or correct specifications when purchas- ing a school bus. — Steve Gardner, Fleet Supervisor Lucas County (Ohio) Board Of Developmental Disabilities
EDITOR’S NOTE — We received the following letter from a mother who has responded to numurous articles we’ve run during the past several months. She has commented on everything from online “Wire Reports” about students killed while walking to the bus stop, to state budget cuts. I am the mother of a 14-year-old girl in Dripping Springs,
Texas. We are faced with a very similar situation here. Bus trans- portation has been cut to a minimum. Children are expected to walk up to two miles in all weather, down county roads that have no sidewalks, no lighting, blind spots and heavy traffic. We have been informed that school bus transportation in Texas is a privilege and it is parents’ responsibility to get their children to school, not the school district’s. We live about 20 miles from Austin, where most parents drive to work in order to make the
salary that pays for the taxes. Terefore, not all parents can drive their children to the bus stop nor to school. Tis situation puts children at further risk. Very disheartening. — Tracy Hooper
HEARD AROUND THE WEB Linkedin: “How are rising fuel costs affecting your operation?” Besides payroll, fuel cost is the highest expense that we have.
When prices reach a certain point, we have to pass the cost to our customers by adding fuel surchages to invoices. — Kevin Boyd, Maintenance Manager Michaels Transportation, Vallejo, Calif.
Disqus: “Petition Sent to Obama Administration to Fund $1M Federal Study on School Bus Driver Distractions,”
STNOnline.com, Dec. 21, 2011 A common complaint from drivers is lack of support or
understanding from administration. Knowing what the distractions are is a no-brainer. A high-price study is not necessary. Administration (and parents) moving quicker to remove unruly, uncontrollable, highly disruptive/distracting students would be a big plus. — KYDriver
FOR THE RECORD Creative Bus Sales Owner and President Tony Matijevich’s
name was spelled incorrectly in two instances in an April article on page 23 about Starcraft Bus celebrating the production and sale of its 25,000th bus. In the February edition, an article on page 26 previewing the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Preschoolers National Conference and a session on administering medications on the school bus should have read that California state law requires school personnel to be trained on administering Epi pens and insulin injections. STN regrets these errors.
20 Years of STN: Reader Recollections Trough this summer, School Transportation News is celebrating its 20th year in publication. “Realizing that I was not alone in the crazy world of pupil transportation management! Just knowing that my counterparts
around the country were dealing with the same insanity I was, gave me a sense of having someone to reach out to who understood. Tere were many days that were made much better by a sympathetic ‘partner’ from another district, county or state on the other end of the phone. STN helped establish that vital network.” Gus Kakavas, Lakewood (N.J.) Board of Education
“I enjoy reading the magazine — enjoyed the one on mechanic salaries and number of buses assigned to each mechanic. North
Carolina needs to look at the number of buses to mechanic ratio, along with more in-depth training. Tey expect a lot out of their mechanics for low salaries and training.” Bob Pavlik, New Hanover (N.C.) County Schools
12 School Transportation News Magazine May 2012
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