T PUBLISHER’S CORNER
Understanding What & Why It Happened
WRITTEN BY TONY CORPIN |
TONY@STNONLINE.COM I
was sitting in the audience at the recent NAPT Summit on Nov. 7, listening to Christopher Hart, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, tell us how by embracing safety improve-
ments we will only enhance the already great reputa- tion of the safest method to get to school: Te yellow school bus. Hart assured the audience that despite the critical stance the NTSB often takes after crashes—af- ter all that is the investigative agency’s job—it doesn’t dispute the fact that school buses remain the safest method to transport students. He added the following caveat: “But there is always room for improvement.” During the general session, I sat and watched an
NTSB video that made the familiar comparison of school bus compartmentalization to an egg crate. Te video explained how the addition of lap-shoul- der belts essentially closes the crate, with the safety restraints providing the most protection possible in all types of crashes. Hart said that the addition of lap-shoulder seat belts, as the NTSB recommends, could save more lives. “When the agency makes recommendations, it’s taking a holistic approach to maximize protection of occupants.” Te role of the NTSB, the chairman explained, is to uncover the errors that lead to crashes to then prevent future incidents and avert potential injuries in the future. He talked about how the NTSB uses data and video evidence gathered at an incident site to tell the tale of what happened. Tat information empowers NTSB investigators to create recommen- dations for change. Citing investigations into several school bus crashes
from the last few years that involved student fatalities, Hart explained during his presentation that most of these incidents were caused by driver fatigue and distraction, both of which are on the NTSB Most
Wanted List of Safety Improvements. How often are these happening to your drivers? Most likely more often than you’d like to admit or even be aware of. Tis is even more true if you don’t have a method of measuring the behavior your drivers while on route. Te prohibition of all cell phones would benefit all people when they are behind the wheel, as would en- suring drivers are receiving proper rest before getting on the road further save lives. Is this something your operations are continuously monitoring? Only three weeks later, our entire team at STN Media Group sat at our office desks in shock when the news broke on the tragic Chattanooga crash. Shortly there- after, Hart was again front and center on national television, explaining to the whole country NTSB’s course of action after a crash. With a special NTSB Go Team being dispatched, local authorities received a warrant to remove the black box and video from the school bus as crucial evidence. It only echoed Hart’s comments from the NAPT Summit. “Our mission is to understand not just what happened, but why it happened, and to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again,” he said. Chattanooga is a somber reminder that as industry
professionals we must remain steadfast and vigilant on a daily basis while transporting the children in our care. Be sure to talk with your school administrators and school boards members about providing the best training and safety equipment available for your team. Yes, there are operational, training and budgetary considerations that must be a part of the discussion, but our children are worth the extra expense and effort. I’m sure you’ll agree. ●
Tony Corpin, Publisher
42 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2017
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS
Jan17_STN.indb 42
12/20/16 4:50 PM
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