School Transport Provider Archives - Page 4 of 8

7 Child Safety Restraint System Guidelines You Need to Know

Posted on November 21, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The number of pre-school age children traveling in cars and school buses is increasing resulting in the requirement for several child care programs.

Just as these little ones need proper security in other vehicles, they need Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS) in school buses as well.

The use of Child Safety Restraint Systems including car seats and seat belts has been in debate for quite some time now. If installed properly, these systems keep small children restrained in their seats.

Children must appropriately be tied to their seats so that they are comfortable and safe when traveling to and from school. Certain cars and school buses have factory installed safety restraint systems while others can get them added at a later time.

So, when and why do you think would you need to get safety restraint systems installed on your school bus or car?

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The Concerns

Some people oppose the use of safety restraints and there are some valid reasons behind this opposition. The number one reason is injuries from improperly fastened restraints and emergency evacuations.

Furthermore, a concern has been raised with respect to the extra load that is placed on seats with restraints, thereby hampering their performance in situations of a crash.

While these concerns are of value, many districts and states are encouraging the installation of restraint systems on all school buses that transport small children.

Guidelines You Need to Know

The following section helps you to understand how you can correctly secure pre-school children with CSRS and certain other guidelines vital for their proper usage.

There are some basic rules for using CSRS and most of the school authorities make common mistakes that can later lead to accidents and mishaps.

1. The right use of CSRS depends on the child. A child weighing up to 20 lbs and 1 year of age should be rear-facing. When the child weighs over 20 lbs, he/she must be forward-facing.

This makes a lot of difference to the child’s comfort as well as their protection. Remember to go through the weight limits mentioned by the manufacturer to be sure of the correct usage.

2. Check the user manual to ensure that installation of the restraint systems is perfect.

The seat must not move for more than 1 inch when pushed sideways or forward. It should be well fastened and gripped with the vehicle’s seat.

3. The harness straps must be secured in the right slots. If it is a rear-facing restraint system, use the lower or below the shoulder slots.

If it is a forward-facing system, slots are generally at the top or above the shoulders.

The harness strap must not be left loose or twisted. It must not be tied. It must lie flat and adjusted in a manner that only one finger can be inserted between the child’s chest and the straps.

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4. An infant must ride rear-facing and semi-reclined. This could be at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. The incline is essential to support the head, neck, and back.

Use a tightly rolled towel or a firm foam noodle to give it the right tilt needed for the infant to keep their head comfortably.

Please note that such an inclination also helps the toddler to sleep without losing out on breath or choking.

5. If the belts are too long, adding knots to them to make them shorter is unacceptable. Twisting is also not a good idea since lap belts make all the difference in securing your child to the seat.

The lap belt must be the right length, which means that it should rest off the frame of the child’s seat allowing it to remain tight and fastened.

6. The harness-retainer clip, if at all there on your car seat, must be at the level of the child’s armpit. In case the clip is in the wrong place, chances that the strap can slide off are high.

The clip and harness strap slots must be thoroughly checked after placing your child for maximum security and protection.

7. According to research, the incorrect installation of the child safety restraint system is quite common.

This is because car owners and school bus owners try to finish the task without taking all kinds of precautions and corrective measures.

Installation must be done with precision following the instructions of the user manual.

In fact, it is a good idea to visit a local car-seat inspection site and get the installation checked before placing your infant or child in the seat.

If you face any challenges with respect to the installation, you can reach out to the car seat manufacturer or take assistance from a local workshop.

Installation tutorial videos are also available online to help you with the right procedure.

Apart from the above-mentioned guidelines, it is important to know and check height restrictions for the car seat you use.

A child’s head needs to be at least one inch below the top of the car seat’s shell.

Additionally, remember not to install the car seat or booster in the front seat. Your child must be at least 13 years of age before they can start riding on the front seat.

Child Safety Restraint Systems become extremely vital when transporting special need children and very young children such as preschoolers.

What Are The Advantages Of A School Bus Tracking Software?

Posted on November 19, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School bus transportation has seen tremendous technological advancement over the last few years. Today, software is available for the school bus fleet management, including scheduling, and also geographic information system to improve efficiency and tracking.

The main purpose of employing technology in school bus fleet management is to ensure student safety. This is because these systems enable route planning to improve efficiency and provide information in real-time on location and security threats.

Here are some of the key benefits that schools can enjoy using school bus scheduling software:

Improve Fleet Optimization

Manual scheduling of routes and times is a static procedure and it is one-dimensional in nature. Inconsistent school bus schedules tend to impact morning routines and results in frustrated parents calling the school for an update on arrival at the waiting point.

Inconsistency in tracking also leads to increased expenses. On the other hand, the use of right software helps schools easily overcome all these challenges.

Tracking software helps to analyze the bell times for students in different grades and tier the bus routes accordingly so that the late arrival of buses, calls from parents, and unnecessary spending can be avoided.

Tiering enables schools to use the same drivers and buses and this effectively reduces the requirement of buses and drivers by 50%. This, in turn, results in a reduction in overall transportation costs as well.

It is not easy to create effective tiered routes for school buses. Many scenarios have to be taken into consideration. However, the scheduling software allows for the creation of unlimited scenarios and study or review a number of hypothetical tiering schedules to ensure the optimal use of the school’s fleet of buses.

Makes Routing Easy

If the conditions remain ideal, schools can set the routes and use them every year. However, the reality is that the student population keeps expanding and costs continue to rise.

This means that school administrators must keep track of the routes and change them as required. Optimization of bus routes is the best way to reduce costs, minimize ride times, and ensure student safety.

This is best achieved by implementing the bus scheduling software. It may sound intimidating initially, but technological advances enable scheduling of school bus routes easy.

The software helps the school administration department to quickly analyze traffic pattern, route times, and student populations to ensure student safety.

The software also incorporates other functionalities. They make it possible for administrators to communicate with drivers and monitor the movement of school vehicles in real time.

When schedules need to be changed, school administrators will have to often put away other jobs and focus only on readjusting schedules.

The use of the bus scheduling software totally eliminates this problem. This is because the suitability of various alternative routes can be checked almost instantaneously, resulting in saving time and cost.

Update Drivers Quickly

Students move to new homes, and therefore, their pick up points change. The parents of a child may have split custody. The child may come to school by one bus but go back home on a different bus.

This child may also use different buses. In such cases, school bus drivers of respective routes should be informed of the same at the very next moment.

When the pickup point of a student changes, web access portals come to the aid of school bus drivers. The scheduling software provides drivers with daily updates before they start their work in the morning.

Reduce Costs

All schools experience problems with respect to balancing their budgets. When they face financial challenges, the first department to get the cut is the transportation department.

Parents become concerned when routes are changed and bus stops are eliminated. Fortunately, the scheduling software helps to optimize routes without compromising the safety of students.

The software helps to save money in the following ways:

Route Planning

School bus tracking software does away with the need to organize lengthy planning sessions. The routing job used to be completed only over a few days.

With this software, the job can now be completed in a matter of minutes. It also has special features which help to set parameters and designate zones when creating routes that are safe and efficient.

Maximizing Efficiency

Efficient routes reduce the fuel requirement and driver downtime. School bus scheduling and tracking software helps to identify the routes that rationalize the stops.

It also enhances student safety as it identifies routes that avoid areas with a high level of traffic. Rationalization of the routes also helps to minimize driver and bus requirement.

Integration

Advanced school bus scheduling software is available now and can be integrated with many other tools such as GPS systems.

These integrations, in turn, enhance the capability of the school bus scheduling software and help develop more efficient routes, identify inconsistencies, and track ridership. Elimination of inconsistencies further leads to a reduction in wasteful expenditure.

Conclusion

Investing in school bus tracking software often tends to save money in many indirect ways as well. For instance, the use of safer and more efficient routes helps schools to cut down insurance costs. When the software is integrated with tracking programs, reporting becomes much easier and this adds to the cost benefits.

Master the Skills of School Bus Driver Roles and Be Successful

Posted on November 16, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School bus drivers are bestowed with the responsibility of transporting kids to and from school in a safe and timely manner. They also take school sports teams and other groups for trips.

This means that apart from their transportation duties, there are certainly other skills that they must possess to be able to successfully perform their roles.

The job of a school bus driver is suitable for those who like driving and working with children. A passion for driving alone may not be enough to do your duties as a school bus driver to the best of your ability.

This is because working with children requires a lot of patience, a lot of responsibility, and a lot of spontaneity.

School bus drivers generally work part-time, for as long as the school is in operation. These drivers are not just vehicle operators since students consider them to be friends, parents trust them with the safety and security of their child, and school authorities expect them to maintain the school’s reputation.

While little formal education is required for this career, a school bus driver must have adequate training and a commercial driver’s license.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER – SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Communication

School bus drivers deal with various audiences – students, parents, teachers, principals, transport authorities, and more. This makes it extremely vital for them to have proper communication skills. School bus drivers must be able to:

Listen to others and ask questions: They must know how to engage in dialogue with students. They must inquire about the child’s overall well-being, inform parents all necessary information and take charge of what is happening on the journey between school and home.
Understand spoken/written information: School bus drivers are given several instructions on a regular basis. They also receive route maps and addresses to ensure every child is dropped off at the right destination in a timely manner. If school bus drivers are unable to follow this information, they will not be able to perform their duties responsibly.
Speak clearly: School bus drivers are sometimes requested to communicate information between parents and teachers. This must be done with utmost care so that messages are well understood at both ends and there is no confusion of any kind.

2. Reason and Problem Solving

School bus drivers must be alert to notice when something is wrong or about to go wrong. For instance, if weather conditions can cause delays, they must be able to use reasoning and draw conclusions as to how time can be managed effectively.

They must focus and not get distracted while performing a particular task. They must follow instructions and arrange objects in a certain order.

If they are transporting school teams for events, they must know how the team’s equipment is to be stored so that there are no damages.

3. Bus Conduct

School bus drivers often need to perform multi-task. They need to watch the road and drive safely. At the same time, they need to monitor the conduct of students on the bus also.

Buses come with large mirrors on the front window making it easier for drivers to keep an eye on the actions of the students. School bus drivers must watch student behavior and stop any hooliganism as soon as it is noticed.

Moreover, drivers must immediately report irresponsible behavior so that necessary action is taken and harmful behavior is not repeated. Drivers must identify these students, their seats, and ensure that they sit in their allotted seats regularly.

4. Vehicle Safety

School bus drivers need to have a clear understanding of the bus’ equipment. In simple words, this refers to the regular evaluation of tires, brakes, tuning signals, and other mechanical equipment.

They must also watch gauges, dials, and other parts of the engine to ensure that the machine continues to run smoothly. School districts generally prepare a checklist that drivers need to fill after conducting basic checks on different safety items.

In case of any issues or operational troubles, the bus must be immediately sent to the workshop for repair while the school bus driver uses an alternate vehicle for transporting students.

This skill of understanding the mechanism of the machine can help school bus drivers go a long way since issues are identified early on and they do not get stuck during the course of transportation.

5. Record Maintenance

School bus drivers must maintain a regular basis log activity in different categories. This includes the number of students riding on the bus, the absentees, the distance traveled, the route stops, and the time slots.

Furthermore, drivers must record when fuel is replenished, the quantity, and the rate per liter/gallon. School authorities mostly provide private fuel stations for the use of school bus drivers. Logging in this data helps to maintain accuracy in routes.

6. Perceive and Visualize

Vision is an important parameter to evaluate the proficiency of a school bus driver. He/she must be able to quickly and accurately compare numbers, patterns, pictures, letters, or objects.

He/she must be able to read road signs, manage right routes, and avoid any kind of mishaps. A school bus driver must know one’s location and accurately judge the position and distance from other objects in a physical setting. He/she must be able to adjust the relation to self.

7. Patience

Working as a school bus driver requires interaction with children from all age groups and all backgrounds. You must have a lot of patience to manage different tantrums and behaviors.

A school bus driver can never get strict or violent with the children. Parents hand over children to a school bus driver with a lot of trust and confidence.

This trust must be respected. Therefore, work on your patience levels and your child-handling skills, if you wish to succeed in your career as a school bus driver.

The job of a school bus driver does not require a specific educational qualification but it does require several interpersonal skills that you need to excel at in order to be able to master at work. If you think that you can master these skills, there’s no reason you wouldn’t succeed and become the most loved bus driver at school.

10 Important Benefits of Propane Based School Buses

Posted on November 12, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Propane is more widely available and is cheaper than both gasoline and diesel which makes it a preferred fuel for running school buses. Generically known as liquefied petroleum gas, propane is available even in rural areas.

The number of school districts that are using propane for their school bus fleets is on the rise. Propane-based school bus sale has increased by around 500% since the year 1912. As of last year, there are about 13000 propane-based school buses that ferry close to 800000 students to and from schools every day.

This naturally leads to the inference that school buses that use propane are seeing more advantages as compared to others. This article attempts to list 10 of the most obvious and important advantages as to why school bus fleets want to power their buses with this gas.

Here follows the 10 important advantages of propane based school buses which you must know.

1: Financial gains

The primary reason why many schools choose propane is for financial gains. The price of propane is low as compared to traditional gasoline or diesel and also reduces the operating costs. The school buses were able to save to the extent of $3000 per bus if it starts running on propane. The range of savings, however, depends on the price of the fuel.

Right away propane is costing just half as much as diesel from the pump station. In a majority of cases, the school sins a contract with the propane retailer for the fuel consumption of the entire fleet of buses and this makes the cost of propane even lower.

2: Lowered maintenance costs

With propane based school buses, it is possible to save maintenance cost This can be possible in several areas, one being less-frequent changes of the engine oil.

An oil change for propane takes up only 7 quarts of oil. However, for a diesel engine, the oil change requires about 17-36 quarts of oil. The next reason is the installation of less complicated emission control systems which do not use the diesel exhaust fluid. The fuel burns in a clean manner and there is no requirement for add-on filters usually used by diesel engine systems.

3: Propane is a proven fuel alternative

Propane has been used in vehicles ever since the 1970s which makes the technology almost five decades old and proven. Many school districts started using propane from as early as the 1980s.

4: Quick returns on the investments are possible with propane

School districts that had purchased propane-based school bus fleets got back their initial investment in just about an 18- to 24-month period. This was because of reduced fuel expenditure and lowered maintenance costs.

Typically, the cost of propane has a value that is midway between the price of natural gas and oil. Schools also do well by negotiating a fixed propane price for the entire year with the local retailer.

5: Propane is a non-toxic fuel and is non-spillable too

Propane has lots of good characteristics:

•    It does not contaminate the soil, air or water
•    It is not made up of harmful chemicals like diesel and gasoline
•    Propane is usually used in a closed-loop system as a result of which it does not spill
•    There are no major clean-up concerns for this fuel

6: The refuelling infrastructure is spread out and big enough

Many of the districts have multiple points from where the school bus fleet can refuel. Each fleet can have their own refuelling strategy. The individual buses from a fleet can be part of a refuelling network.

These networks can be used by those bus fleets that do not have a refuelling facility and infrastructure in their premises. Most of the refuelling stations function 24/7 for the convenience of the bus fleets.

7: The propane refuelling infrastructure is easy to create

For bus fleets of big sizes, it is worthwhile to consider installation of a propane refuelling facility if there is sufficient space in their premises. The infrastructure is affordable and is cheaper than installing stations for dispensing petrol or diesel.

If the refuelling station is outside the premises, a centralized location would be the best as it serves to reduce downtime of the buses. It is also a matter of convenience. Such refuelling centres can be up-scaled when the sizes of the fleets increase.

8: Propane engines operate in a cleaner fashion

As propane engines operate in a cleaner manner than diesel engines. This means that school running propane-based buses set do not have to buy an extra set of about 20 ancillary parts that are required to clean the unwanted emissions of diesel engines.

Without these parts, diesel engines would fail to meet environmental protection standards as far as emissions are concerned.

Propane-based buses emit fewer oxides of nitrogen and almost no particulate matter as compared to diesel.

9: Propane buses have no cold-start problems

Propane buses do not have cold-start issues with the result that the school saves a lot of time as well as money.

10: Drivers love propane-based buses

Drivers love propane based buses for the fact that they operate in a much quieter fashion, they accelerate quickly and are easier to handle, unlike diesel buses.

They do not have the exhaust fumes of diesel engines either. They are quick to start even in the dead of winter. Propane buses do not have to ’idle’ before it starts to move. At the end of it all, they are easier to clean and maintain.

Conclusion

A major cost for most schools is the transportation system. The rising fuel costs coupled with the fact that diesel engine mechanics are rare breed these days, most of the schools are settling for buses that use alternative fuels like propane instead of conventional fuels like diesel and gasoline.

15 Must-have Safety Features On A School Bus

Posted on November 7, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The school bus is perhaps the safest vehicle that your child can travel in to and from school. According to statistics, students that take the school bus are about 70 times more likely to reach the school safely than other vehicles to get to the school.

The school bus is endowed with a number of safety features as a result of cooperation between the industry and the government. In addition to these, traffic laws are strictly enforced and school bus drivers are well trained.

School buses are loaded with many safety features. Here we are pointing out 15 of them.

1: High degree of visibility

School buses are designed to have a high degree of visibility. They are painted bright yellow in colour and have flashing lights. This is done so that both pedestrians and motorists notice the vehicle among other vehicles in the road.

Extended stop arms appear when the school buses stop. This notifies other drivers that children are either boarding the bus or alighting from it.

2: GPS systems with advanced features

High-definition GPS systems on school buses help the driver by indicating the exact speed, locations, etc. These help the drivers to stay within the set speed limits, stick to the laid-out route and avoid hazards of different kinds.

3: Anchored seating for the children

Bus seats in school buses are specially designed and are well anchored in their places. The seats have extra padding to avoid injuries. The seats also have a high back and are designed not to shake out of their places in the event of any jarring movements caused by a collision or a crash.

4: Child Check-Mate System

As little children are prone to falling asleep suddenly, the Child Check-Mate is an electronic reminder system that is installed on board to remind the drivers to check the bus and see if there are children that have slept off and not got down at the designated bus stops.

5: Compartmentalization Design

The design of a school bus is different from that of other vehicles such as cars and other light motor vehicles. They use the compartmentalization design wherein the forces that are generated due to an impact or crash spread in a very different fashion from that in other mentioned vehicles.

These buses feature seats that are closely spaced and seat backs designed to absorb energy. These design aspects help to keep the children safe.

6: Safety features in small buses

Preschool children and children with special needs are carried in smaller buses to schools. These buses are generally fitted with car seats and have specially designed child restraint systems on the seats.

In such buses, children need to be fastened with seat belts or shoulder or lap belts because of partial compartmentalization.

7: CCTV inside buses

CCTV placed inside the buses help to prevent accidents and other untoward incidents. It also helps to reconstruct events after an incident has happened. Constant real-time monitoring of video helps to prevent bad behaviour of students, attendants and drivers.

8: Placement of mirrors on the school bus

Mirrors should be properly placed on the school bus to enable the driver to see other motorists, objects and students near the bus and inside the bus.

The mirrors should be placed and adjusted in compliance with motor vehicle safety standards set for the purpose. The seven mirrors recommended for use in the school bus are:

• Top-left glass mirror

• Left convex mirror

• Right convex mirror

• Left cross-view mirror

• Right cross-view mirror

• Top Right flat glass mirror

• Rear-view mirror (Interior)

: Colour of a school bus

Most of the school buses are painted in such way that it is visible and other road users must be able to recognize among other vehicles. This decreases the possibility of accidents due to poor visibility.

10: Fire extinguisher installation

School bus fires can happen due to many reasons and can have dreadful consequences. There must be a fire suppression system installed in the bus to extinguish the fire if it happens.

The probability of occurrence of fires in the bus can be reduced with regular inspection and timely maintenance of the vehicle. Any bus with a mechanical or electrical problem should be kept off the road.

Fire suppression systems let off an alarm when the temperature reaches a specific high value. Thereafter the system releases a mist or powder that extinguishes the fire. Heat sensors can also be installed to indicate any rise in temperatures above specific levels.

11: Regular first-aid box inside the bus

Every school bus must have a first-aid box inside the bus. This would come in handy when there is an accident or untoward injury caused to the occupants of the bus.

12: Windows and horizontal bars

The windows of a school bus should be fitted with horizontal bars. This would prevent the students from putting their heads, hands or any other objects out of the window thus preventing accidents and injuries.

13: Emergency exits

There should be more than one emergency exit installed in a school bus for the safety of the children in case they have to be evacuated from the bus.

There is a monitor system for the emergency exit that provides both an audio and a visual signal to the driver when the emergency exit is opened.

14: Locks for school bus doors

The doors of a school bus should be securely locked when in motion. The locks should be ones from reliable manufacturers and should conform to safety standards.

15: Lettering on the bus

The words “School Bus” must be painted on the front and back of the bus. The size of the letters and colouring must conform to safety standards. In addition, the name and telephone number of the bus must be written on the body of the bus.

Conclusion

Just as it has done in the last many years, the government works closely with school bus manufacturers to implement new safety features in school buses so that everyone concerned is vigilant and consider safety on the road as a continuously evolving issue.

How to Choose the Right Software for Your School Transport Company

Posted on November 2, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The safest way to transport students of your school would be to have a complete overview of your entire school transportation system at any point in time.

Budget cuts are happening everywhere, with the result that the transport department is forced to squeeze out the most from every dollar spent.

One of the most efficient ways to cut down fuel costs, staffing and to improve vehicle utilization is by optimization of routes.

However, this can be frustrating, time-consuming and inefficient if done manually. Using software packages for school transport is the best way to get this done neatly and efficiently.

How School Transport Software Package is Useful

From creating the school bus routes, scheduling the drivers, and managing unforeseen incidents, the software package for school bus transport must be in tune with the requirements of the school. Any school transportation management software would address the following objectives:

1: Features that make every-day time-consuming tasks easier

• Allowing easy preparation of trips with auto optimized routes

• It should be able to manage the presence of students in each stage of the bus trip

• A few clicks should be enough to plan the rounds for a specific bus contract for a period of a range of dates

2: The activity would be visible immediately in real time

• The schedule would be accessible and readable in real time

• Changing the route of one driver to another would be a matter of just a couple of clicks

3: The software package would be in line with the objectives of the business

• The package should have tools that can help to manage both the drivers as well as the bus attendants

• It should help to plan the maintenance and renewal of the bus fleet

• It should give the difference between the monthly projected turnover of the bus and the actuals easily

But while choosing the right software for your school transport company, you must consider certain things as now the market place have flooded with many school bus transportation software kits with various packages. Here we are showcasing certain key things you must take care of.

1: Compatibility with other software

The routing and transportation management software will operate optimally when it is compatible with the other existing programs in your system.

If the integration is good, there is a good possibility that you can derive a variety of reports from the package that will sure make your transport system management easy and efficient.

2: Features of the bus transport system software

The important features that your software package for transport management should possess are the distances to be plied, the route layouts and their complexities, the number of users, etc., among others.

Advanced packages have features that include a layout map of the areas to be covered, maps that can be edited to add new routes and stops, and travel restrictions. Some other features are:

• Assignment of bus stops to students (these are defined by the users)

• Accommodation of right-sided pick-up points

• Generation of bus passes

• Option for scheduling pick-up and drop-off points (alternate locations)

• Calendar facility

• Student-bus tour history for purpose of report generation

• Options to customize necessary things

3: Training and Support

Any transport management software package would work best only if you know how to use it effectively. For this, you selected package provider has to provide the required training so that it fits the requirements of your institution.

The software provider should provide training during the time the package is laid out and also beyond this period so that all issue can be sorted out and it can be made to function the way in which it should.

4: Type of software vendor

Rather than choosing a vendor that provides a generalized transportation management package, it is wiser to go for a single vendor that provides a customized end-to-end solution for your specific needs.

Though the former option may cost you less, you may end up making it more expensive if you want amends to be made for the package to suit your system. An end-to-end customized solution will function seamlessly.

5: Calendar-based routing and scheduling

A calendar-based bus schedule helps to organize a trip and allows for the creation of trips quickly, optimally and efficiently. You can edit the schedules with ease. You can even plan for what-if scenarios with efficiently structured advanced software packages.

6: GPS Tracking

Software packages with GPS tracking facility allow you to both track and monitor every bus of your school fleet. Additional information of student in a particular route can be facilitated in integrating RFID options and providing the students with tracking cards. This is precious information as far as the school authorities and parents are concerned.

7: Bus Driver Management

Efficient software programs will help to schedule trips based on drivers’ experience, seniority and expertise. Al trips can further be made to connect to payroll so that month-end salary pay-outs become easier. All these can help to improve retention rates of drivers over the longer term.

8: Management of Changes in Students’ Schedules

See if the software package allows for editing a student’s route to a new one. It should allow setting a student’s status as ‘on vacation’ if they want to stop the school bus transportation for a specific period of time.

9: Matching of Plan vs. Actual

Analysis of GPS data helps the drivers to follow routes that have already been designated. Drivers find it easier to follow the maps of planned routes rather than generic maps displayed by Google.

10: Students with Special Needs

Transportation for students with special needs stands improved by following optimized routes with minimum time on board and proves helpful for generating student data for student reimbursements.

11: Availability of the features on mobile phones

It is greatly convenient for the school authorities as well as parents to receive any notification/alert related to the transportation on mobile phones in real time.

The software package can be designed to send tracking and monitoring signals to servers which disseminates the information to mobile phones.

Facilities that users look out for in School Bus Transportation Management Software

• Easily input data regarding the pick-up and drop-off stations for the students

• Maintain details of all the buses (vehicle number, insurance, fuel details, etc.)

• Maintain details of all students such as contact details, pick-up and drop-off point, etc.

• SMS facility for parents if any change in scheduled routes or timings

• All data related to bus maintenance and insurance payments maintained

• Define bus charges and timings for students for pick-up and drop-off points

• Easy generation of reports

Conclusion

A software package which helps to manage all the sub-processes that are involved in student transportation through the school buses includes passenger tracking, route optimization, ease driver-parent-school communication, generate comprehensive reports, and facilitate real-time management of different parts of the transportation service. This will help to improve the savings and money control and will ensure student safety.

How to Install Car Seats In School Bus?

Posted on October 31, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Drivers depend on car seats to keep babies safe. However, according to some experts, only 15% of the car seats are correctly installed guaranteeing the safety and protection of the child.

Before you start installing a car seat in the school bus, know the type of car seats you have. Is it a rear-facing car seat or a front-facing one? Next, take a look at its design to understand if it has to be fixed to the school bus’ seat belt, or the anchor belts attached to the car seat, or to both.

Let us look deeply onto it.

Installing a Rear-Facing Car Seats in School Bus

Step 1: The carrier and the base are two different parts and must be separated. You need to install the base as this is what will remain in the car.

Go through the manufacturer’s instructions to understand how the carrier can be removed from the base. Generally, this is done with the help of a lever or button placed at the base.

Step 2: Check for the belts attached to the base. Some car seats have a belt with two hooks that can latch onto the designated spots near the seat belt area of your vehicle. If these are the kind of belts in your car seat, snap the hooks onto the metal bars of your school bus’ seat.

Make sure the base is resting right against the seat. Tighten the anchor belt in case of a gap.
Check the instructional manual to ensure that this is the way the base has to be fixed.
Some car seats have another belt that needs to go through the car seat to secure the base and provide additional security.

ALTERNATIVELY,

If the car seat which you are going to install does not have an anchor belt with hooks, it will have a buckle to securely put through the school bus’ belt opening. The seatbelt must go through straight without any twists or turns.

Check the manual thoroughly to understand where the belt has to be attached in case of doubt.
Every school bus and every car seat is different and, therefore, the manufacturer’s manual must be referred to.
A car seat that is not properly latched can be dangerous since the child is at the risk of getting injured.

Step 3: Fix the infant carrier onto the base. The direction of the carrier must be such that the child is facing the rear side. When the base and carrier are correctly fitted, you must hear a click sound. You can practice placing and separating the carrier a couple of times to know how it’s done.

Step 4: Check the angle of the base. Rear-facing car seats can be adjusted to different angles. Young infants need a more reclined position as it helps them to breathe properly.

Car seat carriers have level indicators to help you understand which is right for your child. Read the level and check if this is right as per your child’s weight/age/height.
Alter the base angle if you feel your child is not comfortable.
Always change the angle as your child grows.

Installation a Front Facing Car Seats in School Bus

Step 1: Take the seat belt through the car seat. Front facing car seats have openings at the back or bottom through which a seat belt needs to pass.

This seat belt must be buckled into the school bus’ seat on the other side. Once the belt has passed through and you’ve buckled it, push it down and pull to ensure that it has locked well. Check that the belt is straight and there are no twists or bundling.

Step 2: Some car seat designs include an attached tether. This can be taken over the top of the vehicle’s seat to latch on the anchor behind the seat. If your car seat and vehicle’s seat both support this locking, attach the tether to the anchor and tighten.

ALTERNATIVELY,

If the tether is not attached, you need to use latches to secure the car seat. Check the bottom of the car seat for two buckles with hooks.

These should latch onto the designated spots of the school bus seat where the back and bottom join. Tighten the belt in a manner that the back of the car seat is snug against the back of the vehicle’s seat and the base is snug to the base.

Safety Guidelines

Proper installation of the car seat in school bus is not enough to ensure the safety of the child while traveling. There are a few other factors that you must keep in mind to ensure that the child remains uninjured on the school bus journey. Here’s what you must check:

Choose the right spot to fix the car seat. Child car seats should not be installed in the first few or last rows of the school bus. This is because these seats are unsafe and experience more jerks than the middle rows.
The seat must fit well according to the dimensions of your vehicle’s seat. At any point in time, the base of the car seat must not move more than 1 inch.
Pull and push your car seat in different directions after installation to check this movement and in case the car seat is moving a lot, do not place the child in it. Tighten the belts to first fix the car seat correctly.
Use the shoulder straps and lap harness to buckle the child into the seat. The child must not be left loosely in the seat. The chest clip must also be buckled properly.
Tighten all the belts to make sure that your child is safe and comfortable as well. Please ensure that none of the straps are twisted or bundled.

Keep the instructions manual handy to be sure that you have done everything correctly. Student safety in the car seat is in your hands and you must double check everything.

15 Effective Special-Needs Training Tips For School Bus Driver

Posted on October 15, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Regional rules require that students with special needs should be transported only by those who are specifically trained to provide the service. This is because the whole process is quite a difficult one which involves many different activities.

Here are some of the activities:
•    Loading and unloading students using specific procedures
•    Securing student using a wheelchair
•    Knowledge of operating specific equipment
•    Proper communication with students and concerned people
•    Evacuation of students in an emergency
•    Knowledge of regional and state laws pertaining to the transport of students with special needs or disabilities, etc.

Every driver and bus attendants should have these sort of training so that they can transport students with special needs in a secured way and with utmost care to and from school.

Below are 15 tips for school bus drivers to transport students with special needs.

The first point that you can start with is you can search for ‘transporting students with disabilities’ in Google. The list that is thrown up would contain many websites that can provide help in this direction.
Different states have published their own training manuals on the web. You can use any of these to define a starting point for your training and design program that suits your needs.
One useful resource where you can spot an effective special needs driver training program is the NST specifications and Procedures manual. This can be downloaded from www.ncstonline.org.
Your training guidelines for drivers transporting students with disabilities should be based on those that are dictated by your district policies.

They should also be based on the regional and state legislation on the matter. This would tell the drivers and attendants the need for this kind of training.
It is necessary to familiarize the drivers and attendants with the characteristics that pertain to the different disabilities so that they are able to identify them easily. This is likely to make the training more effective for them.
Companies that manufacture equipment such as the wheelchair that is required to transport children with special needs provide training on different aspects such as loading the wheelchair on to the bus and securing it.

It is essential to subject the drivers and attendants to such training every time whenever there is a new release of the product and/or its securement systems to keep them updated.
The NHTS Administration has published many manuals to describe the use of child restraint systems in school buses. It is a good idea to become familiar with these during the driver and attendant training sessions.
Your special education department is likely to contain resources that teach drivers and attendants how to control the behaviour of children with special needs during school bus rides.
For drivers and attendants to become good at emergency evacuation procedures, it is important to conduct mock drills at timely intervals with help from the local fire department. This would provide them with first-hand knowledge as to how children with special needs have to be handled during emergency situations.
Drivers and attendants have to be taught to keep specific information regarding students with special needs confidential. They have to be aware of the student’s medical needs if any and should be subjected to sensitivity training to best appreciate the condition of the student.

These are important topics that have to be present in the training manuals. At this stage, the drivers and attendants have to be reasonably familiar with the line of practice that is followed in the specific district.
Every training session should be documented for future reference. These documents should find an appropriate place in the drivers’ and attendants’ training files.
The training program should be one such that it draws from the experience of the training veterans in the field of transportation of students with special needs.

This does not mean that the new trainers can be left out. They will bring in their own expertise to the table. They should be asked to train the drivers and attendants about the requirements they envision in the future for transportation of students with special needs. As of now, there is a lot of precious information in this field that is waiting to be shared.
It is important for drivers and attendants to remain updated about the latest procedure, best practices and incorporate new ideas and information.

Trained drivers and attendants should be readers of school publications that cover the needs of students with disabilities.
To make the training more effective, it is the duty of the trainers to make the environment more conducive to learning. The learning environment should be professional for the best outcomes after the training sessions.
Bus drivers and attendants should be aware of student medical emergencies that may occur. They will have to be trained to pull over and call 911, stay calm, stay with the student during the medical emergency, lend emotional support to the student and correctly document the incident.

Conclusion

Bus drivers and attendants that transport children with disabilities shoulder a great responsibility. It can be done safely and effectively only when the drivers and attendants carry out the job in a very professional manner.

For this, the training has to be very effective. Drivers and attendants that are well trained provide the safest means of transport for children with special needs.

How to Prevent the Threat of School Bus Hijacking

Posted on October 11, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

In these days when terrorist attacks are common, it is possible that a school bus may get hijacked.

This is because, worldwide, international terrorists have targeted transportation systems (in particular, buses) and secondly compilations have indicated that many terrorist incidents at schools were focused on buses at targets.

Buses are preferred targets for the reasons because there are many people concentrated in a small space inside the bus and, secondly, the bus is a horrible target to around millions of parents whose children ride to school in the school bus every day.

In the light of these facts, it is very important that every school bus driver must be prepared to prevent the threat of school bus hijacking at any cost. Given below are a few pointers that can be adopted by drivers if they are faced with such a situation.

It is important for the bus driver to anticipate the threat of a hijack and be prepared for one, always.
The bus driver should be aware of the fact that the hijackers are not always adults. There have been instances when students have hijacked school buses.
The motives of the hijackers are varied and most surprising. Whereas in the case of one bus hijack the attackers wanted money, on another school bus hijack the attacker was unhappy with his employer.

The hijacker can even be a parent of one of the children on the bus. In some weird case, the hijacker may not have a motive at all.
The hijacker can be of any ethnicity, sex, race, age, or background. They can be a complete stranger too. This is why it is important not to allow any unauthorized individual on the bus be it a child or an adult.
The school bus driver should have a perfect plan on what exactly to do in the vent of a hijacking. This plan must be practised with dry runs just like emergency evacuation drills.
School bus drivers should use code words to inform others of the hijack in case it has happened. It is not a good idea to tell the others that they think they ‘have been hijacked’ or that ‘one of the students has a gun’.
The driver of the bus should check in with the authorities from time to time when on a trip. If some check-ins go missing, it is easy for the authorities to understand that a hijacking may have taken place or the bus and its occupants are in some kind of danger.
It is important that the school authorities/school district works closely with the police and other law enforcement agencies. The police should regularly patrol the scheduled school bus routes. This can deter the hijackers.
Students can be trained to conduct regular bus patrols. The older students of the bus patrol can be taught to act in a specific manner in case of a bus hijack. At the same time anyone of the students can call police for help.

The bus driver can focus on this job and do it well while he/she knows that someone else is calling for help. However, all these have to be practised beforehand through dry runs.
If at all the school bus has been hijacked, then the school bus driver has to become very alert and must take some decisions very quickly. However, there are two methods that are recommended.

Whereas in one the instructions are for the driver to obey the hijacker’s instructions while waiting for some kind of assistance, the second method recommends that the bus driver has to resist and take command if the situation is conducive.

Whatever be the method adopted, the protection of the children on the bus is paramount. For all these to happen in the best manner possible, the driver has to conduct drills beforehand.
It is important for the school bus driver to maintain good communication with the students and their parents/guardians.
In the event of a hijack, school bus driver has to communicate with them instead of fighting. Saying the right things and maintaining the right tone can help to de-escalate the situation to a large extent.
The driver should be trained in the use of all emergency-related equipment. They should be familiar with operating all the emergency procedures and plans.
The driver should have the clarity of thought to identify an emergency and clearly understand their role in the unfolding emergency situation. The driver should stay calm under all circumstances
The driver should make it a point to remove the keys from the ignition when the bus is left unattended.
The bus driver should be familiar with all the guidelines of the school district and state as far as security is concerned.
The inside and outside of the bus has to be inspected thoroughly before and after every school trip.
If the driver spots suspicious people around, they should immediately notify the authorities about the concerns they have.
In case the driver notices any unusual behaviour from individuals, the judgment should not be based on race, religion or ethnicity.
Suspicious individuals can pretend to have gotten lost and may be seen wandering near the buses or inside the school premises. Some of them may even openly wield dangerous weapons or other items.
A suspicious person should be approached by the driver only if they are comfortable in doing so.
The bus driver should refrain from becoming confrontational and try to detain the suspicious person in the first place. The driver should withdraw if they become aggressive.
The driver should look to diffuse the situation, should not attempt to grab the weapon or make any sudden movements and look for ways to alert emergency response. The driver can also pretend that the bus has broken down, if possible.

Conclusion

Every school bus driver should have a written down plan that can be executed if the bus is hijacked. These plans must be practised just as with emergency evacuation drills.

Common Guidelines for the Location and Design of School Bus Stops

Posted on October 8, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Millions of school children travel to and from schools on a daily basis in school buses during a school year. The safety of students is a matter of high concern for both school authorities and parents.

This post provides some information on the common guidelines related to the location and design of stops for buses run by various schools.

Guidelines for Deciding the Location of School Bus Stops

The first step is definitely deciding the routes for the school bus. Once the routes have been finalized, the next step is to decide the location of each school bus stop along these routes, taking into consideration the various aspects that have been listed below:

Special guidelines required for kindergarten children like picking them up from their door-steps
Choosing the location of school bus stops on the key arterial roads of the city or town
Transportation in danger zones marked as “no transport zone”
Locating stops in dead-end streets
Locating stops at places midway between residential blocks or at corners
Closeness to railroad crossings
Adequate visibility

There is an intimate link between school bus routes and stops. This is because the characteristics of one impact the other.

For example, a route may have a busy road segment and a stop may have to be necessarily located in this segment. Students waiting at bus stop will definitely have to deal with the heavy traffic on the segment.

Keeping in mind the street-side things like the condition of the road from where the students board and alight school bus and ensuring a safe environment for children, consider the following aspects whenever possible.

Route school buses through roads with lower traffic speeds and volumes
Avoid roads with multiple lanes where the risk of injury for pedestrians is very high
Select roads that have sidewalks/designated pedestrian walkways which are different from the roadway/traffic; if this is not possible select roads with adequate space so that children can walk along the roadway and reach the stop
Avoid/limit the stops that necessitate the school buses to make a left/right turn along the route depending on whether right hand or left-hand driving is practiced
Avoid stops that necessitate backing up; if backing up cannot be avoided, make sure that the students are picked up before backing and during the return trip the children should be dropped off only after backing up so that the bus can be driven in the forward direction
Avoid railroad crossings as much as possible; if it is not possible to do that ensure the presence of signage and crossing arm protection
Select stops that have a high level of visibility for both drivers and pedestrians; the sight distance should be sufficient for both the students waiting at the stop and bus drivers

When it comes to the sight distance, some of the factors that have an impact are:

Sunrise/sunset times – It is better to avoid locating stops in such a way that the buses are forced to face into the sun at pick-up/drop-off times
Curves
Trees and vegetation

Guidelines for Designing School Bus Stops

When designing school bus stops some of the key aspects to be kept in mind are as follows:

Opt for the safest areas where students can wait for and get into and off of the school bus
Choose “near-side” stops as much as possible
Design should minimize the need for crossing the road to board or after alighting from the bus; as much as possible the need to cross multi-lane roads must be minimized
Ensure adequate lighting is available; if children have to wait during hours when the light is low, the school bus stop must be close to a street light/ other light sources as much as possible
Ensure adequate waiting space for both students and parents; the waiting place must be at least 12 feet away from the bus but the bus class and sight distance should be kept in mind
Consider the environment around the school bus stop; parks and commercial businesses both have their own benefits and drawbacks; they may confer safety as drivers might expect the presence of pedestrians in the areas but they can distract children
Design school bus stops in such a way that the children remain protected from vagaries of nature weather

On the basis of the geographical region, some of the aspects to be kept in mind are:

Design stops in such a way that shade is available without sacrificing visibility
Avoid areas that will reduce the visibility/access because of changes in weather conditions
Avoid snow drift areas that reduce the visibility of the bus or access to the school bus
Take into consideration the number of children that have to be picked up from a school bus stop; the presence of many students might confer safety, but it can increase the chances of behavioural problems

The common guidelines outlined in this post are focused on preventing traffic-related injuries to students using the school bus to travel to and from their schools. Students, just like all other community members, face risks of assault and other crimes.

Many of the other non-traffic issues addressed by transportation policies such as proximity to bars, liquor stores, and adult entertainment, among others are not dealt with in this post.

However, following the guidelines when designing and locating school bus stops can greatly improve the safety and security of school children.