INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS: BRIEFS
REPORT: BUS DRIVER AT FAULT IN CRASH THAT KILLED SIXTH-GRADER
and injured four other students. Te ISP investigation found that bus driver Debra Boat-
A
wright failed to yield at a stop sign before proceeding into the intersection and into the path of a dump truck that wasn’t required to stop, the Idaho Statesman reported. Te Kuna Joint School District No. 3 said in a Jan. 16 statement that Boatwright is on leave pending the completed investigation. Canyon County Prosecutor Bryan Taylor will decide whether
any charges will be filed against Boatwright or Charles Samuel Derby, the truck driver. County officials said they are awaiting results of blood tests done on both drivers. Te report states Derby had used marijuana, but it does not indicate if investiga- tors believed he was under the drug’s influence that morning. Investigators believe Boatwright came to a full stop at the stop sign before pulling into the intersection in front of Derby’s truck, said Teresa Baker, ISP spokeswoman. Boatwright then lost control of the 1998 Blue Bird bus and spun around. Te bus’ left rear wheel struck a stop sign and street sign on the northeast corner of the intersection before stopping, the report said. Cook, a sixth-grade student at Crimson Point Elementary
School, was seated in the eleventh row on the passenger side of the bus, near where the bus was struck. Twelve students between the ages of 5 and 11 were on the bus at the time of the accident. Reportedly, at least three of the four children who were hospitalized after the accident were seated near Cook.
ccording to a report by the Idaho State Police, the driver of a Kuna school bus pulled out in front of the dump truck and caused a fatal Dec. 5 collision in Nampa, west of Boise. Te impact of the crash killed 11-year-old Daniel Cook
BLUE BIRD FACTORY TRAINING COMING TO STN EXPO IN RENO
Y
will demonstrate this and more during special training sessions held this summer in conjunction with the 21st annual STN EXPO in Reno, Nev., July 26-30. While not a part of the confer- ence curriculum, the training will include the multiplex electrical system, emissions and air disc brakes over two days and provide a half-day on ROUSH CleanTech’s liquid-propane, fuel-injection system. Te Reno training is designed to supplement the extensive four-day factory workshops Blue Bird typically holds at its home plant in Fort Valley, Ga., several times a year plus the numerous two-day dealer workshops that educate more than 1,000 bus techs each year. Blue Bird also offers live webcasts for specific topics that require a more focused approach. Tese courses are so popular that the classes are usually filled within a few weeks after the training schedule is published. “We have many new dealers, so it’s critical for us to make sure all dealers are up to speed on all of our bus models,” said Bill Landreth, president of Blue Bird Parts and Service. “To ensure the techs retain the knowledge they learn, each receives all required service manuals per the model they are being trained on.” He added that Blue Bird is proud of the superior level of service and
A EDUCATION
TRADE SHOW
SOCIAL EVENTS
VENDORS
support its dealers provide, and the technical training the company offers builds the capabilities of the technicians so that they can deliver premier customer service. Tis results in more uptime for fleets and more satisfied customers, Landreth concluded. Details on registering for the training were pending at this report.
NSTA Celebrates 50 Years at Mid-Winter Meeting, Updates Members on Key Issues
in San Antonio, Texas. Te association also brought its members up to speed on several issues affecting the industry. Te “Boost the Bus-In” presentation by
T
Becky Weber of Prime Policy encouraged NSTA members to enhance relationships with their congressional delegations at this year’s Capitol Hill Spring Bus-In on April 1 in Washington, D.C. Another presentation was particularly
topical, “Affordable Healthcare and Your Business” by Rich Meade, head of the
34 School Transportation News March 2014
he National School Transportation Association representing private bus contractors celebrated its 50th anniver- sary at its annual Mid-Winter Meeting
health care practice at Prime Policy Group. While this session was designed to offer an overview of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its implications for businesses, NSTA advises that members should consult with their own insurance brokers, lawyers and accountants on how to comply with the law. With regard to the ACA, one key issue is the methodology used to determine if an employee is full-time. Section 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code (established by the ACA) requires large employers to provide health insurance to full-time staff, defined as anyone who works more than 30 hours in a week. Te IRS issued regulations that provide guidance for how businesses
determine an employee's status. But, there is an alternative methodology known as the “look-back method” that allows employers to average employee hours within a period of up to 12 months. Tis option might be attractive to school bus companies with their fluctuating work force. Te second issue relates to the insurance
coverage that individuals must obtain under the individual mandate and that employers must provide per the employer mandate. Both mandates require minimum essential health coverage (MEC). Employers must not only offer a MEC plan but also must have a “minimum value” and be “affordable” in order to meet requirements.
n adequate and accessible supply of parts is vital for a maintenance program, but so is technician training. Blue Bird
A TRACKS NETWORK
H
A
C
L
S
W
A
N
G
N
I
.
E
G
C
E
O
N
M
T
E
O
N
C
T
.
G
A
N
L
A
W
H
A
Y
C
S
Y
C
A
H
W
A
N
A
L
G
I
N
G
.
C
T
O
N I
M
U
M
Y
S
G
I
N
M
R
C
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 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76