INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS NYAPT CHALLENGES REPORT ON OUT-OF-CONTROL BUSING COSTS
transportation costs are higher in New York state than elsewhere. Te Dec. 13 report issued by the
T
Citizens Budget Committee cited several contributing factors to these high costs but emphasized the state’s transportation aid formula. Te nonpartisan, nonprofit organization suggested that the current formula leads to operational inefficiencies and fails to provide incentives for districts to economize. Te report compares New York’s pupil
transportation expenditures with other states in the Northeast as well as Califor-
he New York Association for Pupil Transportation issued a statement to challenge a December report that argued
nia. It includes comparisons of transporta- tion provided to public and private school students as well as students with disabil- ities. In all cases, New York’s services and related expenses exceed those in other states, according to the report. Te association’s rebuttal letter stated that it is inappropriate to suggest that lower aid levels would lead to more effi- ciencies in student transportation services. “(Te report) assumes that school trans-
portation managers put excessive school buses on the road simply because they will get state aid for that excess. Nothing is further from the truth,” said NYAPT. Te association letter continued by
saying school transportation managers have brought down the year‐to‐year
Onspot Celebrates 25 Years in Automatic
increases in transportation aid for the past four years, which has resulted in leaner operations and different levels of service in many districts. Additionally, it warned against the continued curtailment of state and local funding and the placing of restrictions on safety training, bus mainte- nance and inspections. “Tat is not a direction in which the state and school districts should go; en- suring the safety of our children should be paramount,” NYAPT added. Inefficiencies and high operating costs
were also cited as reasons behind a New York City school bus driver strike last month that forced 152,000 students and their parents to find alternative means to get to and from school.
Tire Chains Business Onspot of North America, Inc. rang in the new
year with a note of congratulations to its 1,400 dealers nationwide for helping the brand become an installed option in 211 truck and bus builders. Te company celebrated its best year ever in 2012 despite budget cutbacks by municipal customers, Onspot North America’s largest customer base. Te company’s tire chains are used on various vehicles, including school buses, fire trucks, ambulances, utility trucks and tractor-trailers. “With thousands and thousands sold every year, we
have come a long way since 1988, when the company sold a grand total of 126 sets of Onspots. And no, we did not make any money that year," recalled Freyer, president of Onspot North America. Freyer acquired the North American marketing
rights for the Onspot Automatic Tire Chain that was invented by the Onspot Company in Linkoping, Sweden, in 1977. In 1991, the company was purchased by Sweden’s VBG Group, which continues to own the Onspot name, drawings and patents. Onspot of North Amer- ica, meanwhile, continued to import the product into the United States through 1992, when the company acquired North American manufacturing rights and opened its first factory in North Vernon, Ind. Onspot of North America has since doubled its
factory space to 30,000 square feet. Last year, the com- pany also purchased a 7,400 square-foot building and 3-acre parcel next door to the factory for warehousing.
30 School Transportation News February 2013
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OFFERS TIPS TO HELP STUDENTS FEEL SECURE IN WAKE OF TRAGEDIES
Te National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) said dis-
trict personnel, including school bus drivers, can help students feel more safe and secure at school following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. NASP said classrooms as well as school buses should be made as predict- able and welcoming as possible, which can be accomplished by providing access to mental health supports. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least one of the Sandy Hook victims, James Mattioli, 6, was a school bus rider. STN asked NASP not only how Mattioli’s school bus driver but those else- where could help to bring a sense of normalcy to other students on the bus. “If they express they miss the student who was killed, this will validate
their feelings,” said Dr. Melissa Reeves, a nationally certified school psychol- ogist, adjunct professor at the University of Winthrop and outreach expert for NASP. “Reiterate to students the importance of telling an adult if they see something of concern or they are scared.” She noted that, when expressing they miss a particular student, school bus
drivers could add that they are still glad to be with the other students on the bus. Reeves also said it is important for student transporters to maintain struc- ture and routine for students to foster predictability and to reduce anxiety. “If (students) ask questions about safety or are anxious about their
safety, reassure them by giving specific examples of safety measures being taken,” she added. Reeves recommended a simple tactic that many of the estimated 650,000 certified school bus drivers nationwide already employ: greeting each student by name. NASP spokeswoman Katherine C. Cowan agreed that welcoming, en- gaging and listening are things adults should do every day with all students. “Te crisis piece at this level is the adults being more attuned and know- ing the signs of students have need extra support,” she concluded. “Rein- forcing this is an important aspect of crisis response and support.”
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