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What Role Can Technology Play in Reducing School Bus Seat Vandalism?
WRITTEN BY NATHAN TUVALU |
NATHAN@STNONLINE.COM S
tudent transporters know the destructive and costly forces of stu- dent vandalism on school buses. Tis criminal behavior can lead to safety concerns, especially when it comes to the exposed innards of school bus seats. How can technology play a role?
Tis month’s School Transportation News survey explored the impact of school
bus vandalism. Most school transportation operators expressed their conflicts with continual re-examination and restoration of school bus seats, especially seat covers that they feel do not last as long as they should. Tis is often the result of wear and tear cuts by students, which lead to more drain on school district budgets as issues should be dealt with promptly to eliminate fire hazards. Tis prompts several questions: How does technology play a role in curb- ing the problem of vandalism? Should more resources be put toward ensuring the durability of school bus seats? What is the manufacturers’ responsibility, if any, to push innovations that assist school districts in addressing vandalism in a low-bid environment? School bus surveillance, for example, enables school operations to monitor rates of vandalism and identify perpetrators. While vandalism is not likely the sole driver of school district decisions to install video cameras on buses, it certainly plays a role. Out of 175 responses to a survey question on video surveillance, 77 percent confirmed they utilize video to monitor students on their routes. Of these, 37 percent said they collect video footage to monitor vandalism afterhours. Students who vandalize school bus seats often receive bus referrals and suspensions. One director of transportation explained that his operation also sends seat repair bills to the parents of students who are caught in the act. A growing number of districts said they also believe school bus surveillance video could serve as the eye in the sky to make students think twice before vandalizing school bus seats. Rick Smith, OEM account manager for SynTec Seating Solutions, agreed
that surveillance can play a role in helping reduce vandalism, especially when technological innovations like seat covers have been few and far between. “Te seating industry in the school bus world hasn’t changed a great deal,” he observed. “In terms of any major innovations other than offering seat- backs in black and lap-shoulder-belt seats, (video) would be the only thing I believe that would attribute to a reduction in vandalism.” SynTec Seating Solutions provides a heavy-duty Kevlar seat cover for bus seats within the company’s collection of seating solutions, Smith explained, but still be penetrated by a sharp knife. Ultimately, Smith added that technology must be- come a cost-effective deterrent to vandalism to truly take hold and help student
28 School Transportation News • JUNE 2017
transporters preserve the appearance and integrity of school bus seats. “Vandalism is vandalism,” he said, underscoring the effect on school bus seats. “Vandalism has to be controlled by the people in charge of students getting on and off the bus. Everybody looks at the bottom-line of school bus costs. We try to keep (cost) within reason.” A decade ago, Heavy Duty Bus Parts announced its
first version of the iSkin, a one-piece and seamless poly- urethane, injection molded foam over the seat to thwart vandalistic attempts. “You’re never going to make an impenetrable foam and adhere to FMVSS 222 testing,” said Branden Smeltzer, GM of Heavy Duty Bus Parts. Polyurethane foam pushes outward from the seat frame, he explained, which does not create any space within the seat to rip or tear like traditional seat covers do. Heavy Duty originally partnered with C.E. White, which was subsequently purchased by HSM Transportation Solutions in 2012. HSM said it has since moved on but continues development of future generations of seating products that focus on other anti-vandalism solutions. Meanwhile, Smeltzer said an iSkin pilot program with 10 school districts is beginning. Te seat has already passed FMVSS 302 flammability standards and was undergoing retesting at this report to meet FMVSS 222 requirements for the knee impact zone. It has already passed head impact zone testing. “Te iSkin will be released no later than Q3 of 2017 and will be a venture taken on by HBDP, targeting both the OEM and aftermarket segments,” Smeltzer announced. He added that that a film is being added over the seat foam for easy removal of ink stains and will come in various color options. ●
CELEBRATING25YEARS
Heavy Duty Bus Parts says it is getting close to receiving final approval on its iSkin anti-vandalism school bus seat. A pilot test with 10 school districts is expected to soon begin.
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