Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Kansas City Star.
As students across the country return to school, it’s not just the classrooms that need to be prepared. The school buses that transport millions of students every day are also crucial to ensuring a safe school year. Over the decade from 2013 to 2022, 61 passengers and 50 drivers were tragically killed in school transportation vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While these numbers are small in comparison to the 23.5 million students who ride a school bus annually, each incident is a stark reminder that more can be done to enhance safety.
Significant legislative strides have been made to protect students. Federal guidelines, such as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Entry Level Driver Training requirements, have raised the bar for school bus driver training, ensuring that drivers are equipped with the skills they need to operate safely. Additionally, districts and private school bus companies have been diligent in enforcing defensive driving practices and reducing distractions, while educating students on safe behavior both on and around the bus. However, districts must take care to not allow legislation to create a reactive approach to on-bus safety. With today’s technological capabilities, school transportation organizations have the capability to become proactive.
Many districts still lag in the adoption of advanced on-board technology. Despite the availability of tools that can dramatically improve safety, many districts continue to route buses manually, either because of budget constraints or a lack of technological expertise. This often leaves buses with the bare minimum in terms of safety features such as audio-video equipment, GPS, communication systems and student attendance tracking, all of which can play a crucial role in a comprehensive safety strategy.
As both an administrator and a parent, I can see the stakes clearly. Administrators face the challenge of balancing costs with safety, while parents view any investment in their child’s safety as invaluable. At the start of a new school year, it’s essential to evaluate the effectiveness of technology in keeping our students safe on their way to and from school.
Here are some key features that every district should consider:
• Parent bus locator apps: Smartphone apps can not only track bus locations, but can also provide information on where and when students board and exit. Bus apps dramatically decrease parent calls to schools about where students are.
• Live video access: Real-time video monitoring of the bus allows for immediate response to incidents. When an incident is reported, the best practice is to connect with parents within seven minutes and ask them specifically to coach their students in safe bus conduct. Relationships are enhanced as a result.
• Enhanced communication: Seamless communication between transportation departments and parents ensures everyone is always informed of every child’s location. Information on the app, combined with text communication about bus delays, builds confidence with parents about how transportation operations are managed.
• Driver feedback programs: Systems that provide drivers with proactive feedback improve their driving skills and enhance student safety. When a driver review by a peer discovers unsafe practices, the driver is encouraged to correct his or her driving skills.
From my experience as a school transportation director, I recognize the importance of investing in the latest technology which can make a significant difference in how we manage safety. In the Kansas City school district I worked for, we implemented systems that allowed us to respond to incidents on the bus within minutes, often addressing behavior issues before students even arrived home. These technologies also enabled us to create a proactive peer review process, where drivers could learn from each other and continuously improve their safety practices.
Ultimately, the time it takes to respond to incidents was drastically reduced, creating a safer and more controlled environment for students. As we continue to face challenges such as driver shortages and budget constraints, leveraging technology is the most effective way to ensure that our school buses are as safe as possible.
