Month: July 2017

7 School Bus Transportation Facilities for Special Need Students

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

“Once you accept that your child will be different, not better or worse- just different, that is the first step.” -Anonymous

Little Diya is eagerly waiting to start her school expeditions. But her parents are worried because she is suffering from partial blindness. Her parents are baffled by many questions when they think of Diya’s school bus journeys. 

Diya is just a representative of an immense number of special needs students

Many schools have taken necessary steps to accommodate such students with special needs .They need special attention  not only in school premises, but also in school bus transportation too.

So, what are the facilities that  we can provide for such students?

1. Accept Them

School  are the second home of every child.  Accepting them is an extraordinary way of caring  students especially those with special needs. So the first step should be accepting them as different. 

Accepting them as different doesn’t mean that making them aware of their inabilities. Instead, cultivate confidence in them to confront the world without any fear.

2. Trained Crew

Schools can provide trained crew to take care of special need students. Only dedicated and trained professionals can handle such students with enough care and patience.

Schools can also conduct training classes for the school bus crew. Training will make them aware of special need students and teach them how to take care of such students. 

3. Emergency number

What will you do if a  child with special needs suddenly starts behaving abnormally?  Anybody other than his/her parent may not know to handle such situations.  So it is wise to keep the contact details of  such students.

4. Seating Arrangement

Special needs children may not be comfortable on a compact aisle seat. So give them a comfortable window seat instead of the aisle seat. Secure them with a seat belt. Make sure that you have fastened their seat belt properly. 

Some school vans have seats in both directions. This may create uneasiness for the special needs students. So their seat should be facing forward only. Also make sure that the allotted seat is not near the emergency exit.

5. Moderate Speed 

School bus drivers should take good care in the school bus transportation of special need students. Moderate speed is advisable while driving.  

6. Install Camera

Cameras can absorb every single moment with clarity. This helps in spotting kids who show uneasiness and tiredness while on the bus. And this will decrease the chances of issues such as bullying. 

7. Wheelchair and Braces

You might have seen kids with wheelchair or leg braces. These people might need ramps to get into the bus.  Setting ramps in school buses will be very much helpful for students with special needs. 

Let us spread love among those children who need special care. And make them smile innocently without any fear of falling down. Offer them a hand and hold them up to face the challenges of the world. And let us together create a better world for them.

How Well Do You Know about School Bus Dimensions?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

There is no doubt that the best way of transportation to and from school is the school bus. It’s a privilege to avail the service of school bus. The invention of GPS and RFID tags has elevated the safety provided by school bus to the next level.

The RFID school bus tracking system tracks student location, making it possible to locate them. There is also a GPS tracking system equipped in the school bus to help parents as well as schools to track real-time location.

Also Read: What is the Average Size Of School Bus?

Considering the distance travelled by the bus and the distance they cover, deaths are extremely rare. Death rate of school buses per 100 million miles travelled is 0.2 while automobile deaths are eight times higher.

Never Ignore the Dimensions of a School Bus:

It’s not wise to ignore the importance of the school bus dimensions. The exterior of the bus is equally important as its interior.

 

Typical Measurement of school Bus:

The school bus would have these particular measurements.

  • About 9.5 to 11 ft for its height
  • Around 8 ft for its width
  • Between the measurements of about 12 ft to 40 ft length

Measurement considered by the driver;

Ten (10) to twelve (12) meters long is another measurement that the school bus drivers prefer. It is because of the comfort that the drivers prefer this measurement.

Other Dimensions:

Measurements about 7980 or 8500 by 2400 by 3100 mm

Passengers and Its Impact:

The passenger size is of important to consider while calculating the measurements outside.

  • A 72 passenger bus would be appropriate if there are lot of passengers
  • For more capacity 77-passenger bus is available
  • The buses are designed to carry around sixty five (65) passengers
  • For a handful of students, a bus with smaller passenger space would be enough

Passengers and the Bus:

While selecting the perfect bus for the school the authorities must keep in mind the strength of students.

Here are some of the variations of school buses according to its seating arrangement;

  • Average buses for schools would have a seating capacity of around fifteen (15) to ninety (90) people.
  • Some choose to have around fifteen (15) to thirty eight (38) seating capacity
  • Some offer around twenty four (24) to sixty six (66) seats

The Eight School Bus Types:

  1.  Type A school bus can carry about 10 to 16 students
  2. Type B bus can carry around 10 to 30 people
  3. Type C helps to transport around 10 to 54 children and teenagers
  4. Type D school vehicle can carry 10 to 54 students
  5. Type S merely can hold up to 9 or less people.
  6. Multifunctional Activity Bus
  7. School Van
  8. Non-Conforming Vans

Choosing the Right Bus is not Tough:

Choose the right bus keeping in mind various factors. The best choice can give most comfort. Avoid buses with more seats than the students. Always be double sure about the material that is used to construct the exterior of the bus. Suitable prevention must also be ensured to decrease the effect of collision. Heavy duty mudflaps must be fitted in the front and rear of the bus. Without disturbing any adjacent panels or window(s), all exterior panels must be easily replaceable.

Wonder why school bus provides safety that cannot be compensated by any other means of transportation?

It’s because, school buses are built to eliminate the possibility of any danger. All school buses are equipped with school bus safety and comfort to help students have a trouble-free trip to and from their schools.

School buses have got fire extinguishers, emergency exit windows, seat belts on all seats plus an ultra-low entry slide-step (as optional) to allow children to board and alight without assistance. The thickly padded bench seats are fire proof.

Not only is the interior of the school bus, but the whole of it is built with utmost care and observation.

Resource

Driver Tips to Control Violence on School Buses

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Children are always naughty and they become wild once they are accompanied with their pals. Just imagine a destination where everything becomes favourable for them. A school bus is certainly the ideal location for your child to unleash their mischief. There is comparatively less monitoring inside the school bus and hence, they utilize this freedom to the maximum.

But is there any way to curb their violence on the school bus? A school bus driver is the only one who can seriously initiate an effort on it. They can easily recognise the mischievous behaviour of each student before any parent or teacher.

Here follows certain school bus driver tips that assists you to control violence on the school buses:

  • Gain assistance of a bus monitor to identify and report children's problems which helps you manage the school bus properly and comfortably. Thus, violence can be prevented in the first place
  • Ensure that you are one of the members of the school bus safety planning program. This gives you an opportunity to inform others concerning the possible risks and behavioural issues faced in a school bus ride. School authorities never ignore your speculations on ensuring student safety as you have greater experience with school bus transportation than anyone
  • At first, go through appropriate training to understand student behavior, their poise, and body language. For example, clenched fists indicate that the child is angry or in a raging state and crouched stance is a preparation taken by them before running or dashing forth. At situations, you can immediately inform school management or transportation officials without much delay
  • Seek the permission of school bus fleet management authorities to assign front seats for the annoying students or the students who displays problem behavior. As a result of this special allotment, you will be able to attribute first class scrutiny on those students
  • Park the school bus to a safe area and tell other students to stay away from the combatants. If possible, calm the combatants by ordering them to stop fighting. But never leave your seat or move to the fighting area as it can be a mere students' ploy
  • Suppose, a student is holding a weapon in his or her hands, never provoke him or her and risk the safety of other students. Remain calm, never panic, and be watchful. Once you have a chance, park the school bus, call the dispatch or police officials, and handle the situation wisely, without acting as a hero by trying to disarm the student
  • If an intruder attempts to enter the school bus, never allow him to enter the school bus. For instance, hijackers may create paradoxical situations to mislead you such as faking an accident, calling for help, etc. Never give an opportunity to persuade or trap you

Is driver training enough?

Certainly, driver training is essential to ensure proper safety and security for school bus riders. But there are other resources that avoids violence in the school transportation environment. Do you have a presumption about it? A school bus management software helps the school transportation management to plan the routes in such a way that it avoids criminal presence or drug hot spots. Thanks to the technological innovation, as you are able to integrate threat zone database with the routing software, which keeps you up-to-date on new risks. 

With the school bus GPS Tracking system, you can track the real-time location of each student and consequently, identify their wrong doings. In addition, parents and relevant authorities will instantly know whenever a driver deviates from the scheduled route, obtain information on the Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) of the school bus, and student tracking information. 

Above all driver tips can be useful for managing the school bus effectively. The reputation of a school rests in a school bus. Hence, ironically, it is the driver's duty to maintain school bus discipline and protect the credibility of the public on school transportation services.

10 Traits of Safe School Bus Drivers

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Sensible driving needs adequate care, patience and sensitivity towards the safety of the passengers and pedestrians. Driving sensibly, that is giving heed to the traffic rules and regulations can lower the accident rates.  But unfortunately, the present societal demands put the drivers through unnecessary stress and anxiety compromising their driving etiquette. Short temper, violation of traffic rules, rash driving, etc. are increasingly common in school bus drivers.

Isn’t it essential for you to ensure your passengers a safer ride? Also, there are no requisites to show your driving abilities to fellow drivers on the road.

Here are ten tips to create a safe trip for your children:

1. Avoid rash driving

Don’t lose your sense of positive driving habits at any instances. Rash driving can never be a safer way to reach your destination. Moreover, it instils fear in the minds of young children in your bus. Such experiences can be traumatic and create a negative impact on their life. school bus safety concerned drivers never resort to rash driving.

If you are a school bus driver, then the lives of those little school children are in your hands. Don’t curse your stars when some fellow drivers overtake you rashly. Just forgive such actions and continue what you are doing, the safe driving. 

2. Strictly avoid tailgating

Tailgating or driving close to the vehicle in front can bring you unexpected mishaps. It is always better to take precautionary measures than regretting later. Sensible drivers avoid tailgating vehicles at all times. If any other vehicle tailgates, it is wise to switch the lanes and allow the other vehicle to pass over. 

3. Give proper indications

Do not forget to put indications, especially when you intend to stop the school bus. Put the brake lights on, in case you are intending to slow down at the bus stop. Also, wait until the last child has entered and properly seated in the bus before moving forward. Drivers can also guide children with proper indications while they cross the road.

4. Avoid frequent lane switching

Obey the lane rules of the country, where you are driving. Some countries follow a right-hand traffic rule and others follow the left-hand traffic. The best school bus drivers do not involve in unnecessary and frequent lane switching. They resort to it only when there is an absolute necessity.

5. Observe the traffic signs 

Give a little heed to the traffic signs and signals. Check your rear view and side mirrors for any oncoming vehicle. Don’t miss on the blind spots. Be sure to switch on the lights in case of poor lighting conditions, especially at dawn and at nights.

6. Avoid common distractions

Simple distractions can translate to major disasters. Many accidents are due to those moments of carelessness. Staying safe means staying away from distractions while behind the wheel.

7. Install GPS vehicle tracker and promote RFID cards

GPS vehicle tracking devices are not mere identity markers. They provide you the safety. You can estimate the time to cover the scheduled distance. RFID tagged ID cards are being issued to students, which will ease your job of monitoring whether and when a student has boarded/ alighted from the bus. 

8. Monitor the vehicle condition properly 

Fleet management systems regularly updates  your vehicle condition and alert you when it needs a garage visit. They also reduce the cost of maintenance and save fuel. Safe driving can contribute towards a cleaner environment.  Check the tire pressures, engine condition, brakes and alignment regularly.  

9. Do not keep the engine on for long hours

Frequent starting of the vehicle releases abundant pollutants into the atmosphere and can affect the children. If the vehicle is to be parked longer than a minute, safe school bus drivers keep the engine off. 

10. Adhere to speed limits

Always keep the speed limits. Sudden braking can be dangerous for the children as they are not prepared for it. Avoid such instances to reduce wear and tear too. Vehicle air-conditioning must be used with care. 

Keep Track of School Bus Drivers with School Bus Tracker

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus tracker software can be said to be effective only when your child’s safety is assured to the fullest. So, it is mandatory that school bus drivers are also tracked using the system as they play a major role in the safety of school children. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you get a chance to assess the performance of school bus drivers as well, apart from tracking the location of the school bus and the whereabouts of the school students?

Track School Bus Tracker software can be of great help to school fleet managers in this regard. It offers features that help these managers to keep tab on drivers in the following ways:

Collect Performance Data

Monitoring school bus driver performance is a challenging task for most fleet managers. There are usually no reliable source to know their actual performance other than from the bus travelling students and parents. With school bus tracker systems, these drivers are provided with a driver console, which prompts them to login when they enter duty and log off when they leave.

As GPS data is transmitted by the system to the fleet manager, he will be able to know the speed at which a driver drives, how punctual he is, if he is making unwanted stops or idling too much or braking harshly. All this data is conveniently stored away for future access, probably during performance evaluation.

The system also has parent app, with the provision for parents to rate and comment on each individual driver.

School Bus Travelling Student Safety

The single biggest concern of school bus travel is student safety, and the driver is the best person to ensure it. School bus tracking system has smart route optimization features that can help drivers to quickly reorganize their route in case of difficulty in maintaining their regular routes.

The fleet manager would also be able to provide assistance to him by constant communication through the various options available through driver console.

Restrict Unwanted Usage

As school bus tracker software provides real time location data, it can also be used to spot side trips and other aberrations. Once the drivers are aware of this facility, it would naturally curb such tendencies in them. Even if they do, it can be used as solid evidence of school vehicle misuse.

Monitor Behavior to Students & Parents

It is common for parents and students to complain about School bus drivers. The bus surveillance cameras can come to the aid of school transport fleet managers under such circumstances. In general as well, fleet managers can monitor driver behavior towards students and vice versa.

Vehicle Health and Fuel Economy

A vehicle’s maintenance frequency and fuel consumption largely depends on driving style. Too much acceleration, harsh braking, idling and rash driving can shorten the maintenance period and reduce fuel economy. For large school bus fleets, it can make a significant difference in the short term itself, while it would be unwanted expense for smaller fleets in the long term.

Analyzing the performance of the drivers can be of real benefit to the school management as it will help improve safety, streamline expenditure and enhance performance. Employ our GPS school bus tracker and have a great time managing your drivers and providing safety to your students.

Tips to Cultivate Positive School Bus Behaviour

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Since there is a steep rise in statistical figures on violence related to children travelling in school bus, it is important to take preventive measures to  reduce such incidents. As educators, school managements, parents and the public  are striving  to accomplish the task, there is an ever increasing need for a pertinent solution.

Reinforcement of positive school bus behaviour should not  be confined within children.  It should be extended and implemented among bus drivers, attendants and other supporting staff assisting the children in school buses. 

1. Educate the children

Of course, the first and foremost step is educating children on the benefits of keeping discipline and morale inside the school bus. Teach them about the need to keep discipline in school buses. Ensure that they form and keep queue when boarding and alighting the buses. Instruct children to carry their RFID tags if provided by the school authorities. Educate them  to differentiate between good and bad touch and how to seek help when needed. In simple terms, safety education should be a part of the curriculum even from lower grades.

2. Install CCTV cameras in school bus

Technological advances are useful in ensuring safety of children. For example, CCTV cameras can be installed in school buses to monitor the behaviour of children and other staff in school bus both real time as well as later.  Uncompromising action should be taken if any inappropriate behaviour is noticed. However, for this to be effective, regular monitoring of picture, live videos, cameras and their maintenance is essential.

3. Monitor the behaviour 

As specified above, having a team dedicated for monitoring will help to ensure the safety of the kids. Careful observation can reveal many negative traits in kids such as the tendency to bully others. Usually those who are bullies tend to keep a low profile when the elders, parents or teachers are around and act only when the victim is in isolation.  Most of the time, victims’ complaints get ignored or are threatened to be silent. CCTV cameras when installed in school buses can reveal such incidents with ease and help school authorities to sort out the issues with proper psychological counselling. 

4. Random check and sudden inspections

Instead of resorting only on technological innovations, conduct random physical checks and inspections once in a while to ensure that mishaps do not occur. Such inspection can keep the employee morale and the confidence of children besides encouraging them to keep the discipline. 

5. Tutor assistance in school buses

Some schools insist on tutors assisting the children on their travel via school bus. It is indeed an effective method and can have a positive impact on discipline as well as create a sense of security among children.

6. Identify leaders and assign responsibilities

Alternatively, in cases where tutor assistance is practically not feasible, selecting bus leaders among children and assigning them responsibility can help to identify the red flags with ease. However, the teaching staff and the management should have an authority over the reporting so that such leadership responsibilities are not being misused.

7. Have an emergency phone in bus

Most of the GPS enabled fleet management services have SOS facilities to be used in case of emergency. However, this is mainly for the safety of drivers and not for the children. It is inbuilt into the GPS device which is kept near the driver for tracking the vehicle making it inaccessible to the children. An emergency phone can be kept separately for children to access easily.  They should be taught the helpline number. Displaying it in school premises and in buses in suitable format can help.

8. Install GPS vehicle tracking system

A GPS vehicle tracking device allows you to track the school bus in the real time and take appropriate action if any deviation or delay is noticed. GPS systems with SMS or PUSH facilities allow you to send location information to parents and educators on selected points on its route of travel or at appropriate periodic intervals. 

9. Provide RFID tags

GPS systems can identify the location of the bus, whereas the RFID tags can track the individual children. RFID readers can read and send the information to the concerned authorities and ensure safety. 

These are some tips to cultivate positive school bus behaviour in children. Do you have any suggestions to add? If yes, please share with us in the comment section.