Electronic
stability controls, shown here on a Blue Bird school bus, help prevent rollovers and are a complimentary technology to collision mitigation systems.
20 are IC buses with the new factory-installed collision mitigation systems from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Solutions. Harper said that as he began the procurement process,
he ventured out to a test facility where he experienced the technology at work. “They put us on a bus and wa- tered down a track,” recalled Harper. “Then they put a car in front of us. We were doing 50 miles per hour. Then they put on the brakes.” He found himself not wearing his seat belt and facing an imminent crash situation on a slippery road surface. Harper recalled that he was amazed at the collision
avoidance capabilities afforded by the system during the test, and the control it provided. “[It was] an eye-opening experience to me,” he remarked. “So, I immediately came back and went to work with my board and people from the state to try and get this thing [approved].” Eventually, Harper and his associates won the approval to procure the 20 new buses.
Positive View Like Harper, most other transportation directors see the
value in the collision mitigation technology. However, like most new purchases by school systems nowa- days, cost often stands in the way. Many directors are convinced of the value. The challenge, though, is in spreading the belief that the investment should be the highest priority.
38 School Transportation News • SEPTEMBER 2019
“I personally have these [similar] advanced features on
my car,” said Kim Crabtree, director of transportation for Bend La Pine Schools in Oregon. “I believe these addi- tional safety features are significant in regard to safety. The addition of these systems to school buses will help reduce collisions. With continual distractions—children, pedestrians, vehicles on the road, distracted drivers—the additional features will help increase the safety for all.” Crabtree said she views collision mitigation systems as an essential tool in an age where drivers are in- creasingly distracted. “With the increase of distracted driving, whether from the bus driver’s standpoint or distracted driving from others on the road, any safety features we can add to prevent an accident or rollover is money well spent.” Crabtree noted that especially distracted motorists that
share the road with school buses have increased substan- tially. “Some manufacturers include the stability control on all of their new buses. I believe features such as these can help our drivers and increase safety for the bus driv- er and the public.” Tom Burr is the director of transportation with St. Paul
Public Schools in St. Paul, Minnesota. He, like Crabtree, compares the value of collision mitigation technology to that of anti-lock braking systems (ABS) on cars. These systems on school buses are designed more for heavy-duty operations. Those designs are more of a match to the per- formance of a school bus in a tight operational situation, or
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