Cashmere School District in Washington State places a line at 4-feet, 9-inches in 10-passenger vans, to comply with state law requiring every student under that height to ride in a booster seat in passenger vehicles.
class, securement and restraint course, mid-year refresher course on restraint and securement, and a restraint and securement class webinar as avail- able. The routing department will also spot-check all special needs buses every two months for any- thing out of the norm.” While Baldwin
County does rec- ommend WC19 wheelchairs, the equipment is purchased prior to transportation being involved,
She said transportation has a training bus, where staff can practice securing a wheelchair in addition to video training and dry runs. When a student has a wheelchair that transportation isn’t familiar with, she said a driv- er-trainer and occupational therapist will meet at the school and they will work together on training the driver on that type of chair. She said that same protocol would apply if a driver had a concern that something is broken on the chair and needs to be inspected. Fussel added that transportation having a relationship
with the OT/PT department is crucial. “You’re all working for one goal, and that’s student
safety and getting them to school and from school safely,” she said, adding that in Norfolk they have open conversations on both ends and really work as a team for the children. Baldwin County Public Schools in Georgia, transports
all students riding in wheelchairs via a school bus. Sam Ellis, the transportation coordinator, said his routing staff and trainers are responsible for going to schools or the student’s home to assess wheelchairs and provide feedback.
“When new students are added to a special-needs bus,
we will have staff available to address concerns regarding proper securement placement,” he said. “All drivers are re- quired to go through a yearly special-needs recertification
42 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2026
which creates some challenges. Reaume added that it’s important to educate families about WC19 wheelchairs. He said if more districts provided information to the fami- lies when they first start school, maybe by the time they get a new device, it could be WC19, which only increases student safety. Laura Greene-Halley the senior director of student
services at First Student said the company encourages a pre-transport assessment, “which lets the driver and attendant meet the student, understand their needs and determine the safest placement and securement meth- od for their specific mobility device,” she said, noting the support for consistency and safety across all routes and answers for any questions the student, family or caregivers may have. “Beyond just securing equipment, our drivers and attendants are a critical component to supporting a student’s education experience. We train employees to ensure each child rides safely, comfortably and with dignity.” ●
Miriam Manary of the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute presented a session at the TSD Conference on crash testing
wheelchairs and what makes them WC-19 certified. Visit
stnonline.com/go/oa to read more about this session.
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