HEADLINE
Industry Receives Hope in Form of LaHood Letter to Congress
Secretary of Transportation Ray La-
Hood injected a shot of optimism into the arm of the school bus industry in June when he sent a letter to Congress announcing that funds from NHTSA’s FY 2011 budget will be used to “create educa- tional materials…highlighting the benefits of school buses and promoting their use.” Te letter was welcomed by industry
leaders, despite the fact that NHTSA’s up- dated strategic plan, also announced in June, made no mention of school buses. “We’ll be working closely with NHTSA
to be sure the campaign’s products and ser- vices reach the right audience and convey the message that school buses, as the na- tion’s largest form of public transportation, should be available to every child who lives far enough from school to need a ride,” said
NASDPTS President Charlie Hood. Hood said he believes the information-
al campaign, which was pushed by the American School Bus Council, will help the industry “get the facts out” to parents, policy makers and others that school bus- es are critical for maintaining continued student access to learning programs. “Once this foundation of public under-
standing is laid, more parents will insist that school boards, states and the federal gov- ernment view school bus transportation as integral to public education,” added Hood. NAPT President Dr. Linda Bluth was also
quick to point out the role pupil trans- portation plays as “a vital, indispensable public service linked to the success of our educational system,” rather than some- thing that should be taken for granted.
She also recalled that NAPT sent a formal petition to NHTSA more than three years ago, before President Obama took office, to request that NHTSA conduct a similar public education campaign. “We are therefore very pleased that
Secretary LaHood, who is one of the most widely recognized members of the President’s cabinet and is known for be- ing forward-thinking, action-oriented and tremendously media savvy, has decided to initiate this project,” said Bluth. “Tere is no one we know who has a greater passion for safety and commitment to excellence in transportation than Ray LaHood, and we are glad he has decided it’s time for DOT and NHTSA to extol the benefits and discuss the importance of school trans- portation in America today.” ■
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30 School Transportation News Magazine August 2010
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