Making the Case for School Bus Transportation

2 Yellow school buses comprise the largest transportation system in the United States – 475,000 buses transporting more than 26 million children each day. Although they are an American icon, the yellow school bus is often underappreciated for the safe, reliable and convenient service they provide to millions of families, and for ensuring that America’s children have access to an education.

3 School Bus Safety Facts SCHOOL BUSES ARE THE SAFEST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD Every major federal safety organization agrees that school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school. According to the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies for Science, school buses are 15 times safer than a passenger car and 44 times safer than a student driven car. School buses must meet 37 different Federal Motor Vehicle Standards – more than any other vehicle in the nation. The unique design, color and size, rigorous construction standards of school buses, combined with flashing red lights, cross view mirrors, and crossing and stop sign arms ensure children are protected and secure on and off the bus.

4 School Bus Safety Facts SCHOOL BUSES ARE OPERATED BY PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS School bus drivers must have a special license, called a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and must have a School Bus Endorsement that requires extra testing. School bus drivers are highly trained professionals. They receive specialized training in student behavior management, loading and unloading, security and emergency medical procedures. Drivers participate in pre-employment and random drug/alcohol testing, as well as frequent driving record checks, and submit to background checks and periodic medical exams to keep their license.

5 School buses are important to parents We recently asked parents across the country what they value in school bus transportation and heard the following: School buses are convenient School buses keep children off of the streets School buses provide access to school breakfast programs School buses are a great way for children to socialize in a safe environment School buses can be a safe haven between home and school

6 What Are Parents Saying About School Buses? Transportation is a key part of the education system Don’t think so? Try canceling a bus here is what you will hear! “If my child gets hurt walking to school, I will hold you responsible.” “It is my right.” “We pay taxes for this service.” “Transportation is needed to keep my child safe.” “I work – and can’t take time off to take my child to school.” “We don’t have sidewalks or streetlights.” “There are drug houses along my child’s walking route.” “There are registered sex offenders living nearby.”

7 School Buses and the Environment SCHOOL BUSES ARE A SMART CHOICE Total fuel for cars replaced by buses: 3.1 billion gallons per year: Cost of fuel for cars replaced by school buses : $11.4 billion per year: Total annual car mileage saved by students riding school buses: 62.4 billion: Total daily car mileage saved by students riding school buses: million On average, one school bus transports the same number of children as 36 cars!

8 Why aren’t school buses used more often? How many of you have experienced an increase in the cost of: –Fuel? –Maintenance and repair? –Insurance? –Buses themselves? How many of you are having difficulty funding all your programs? How many of you have had to recently scale back or eliminate school bus service?

9 What is the result of these challenges? The need to prioritize services and programs often causes the school leadership team to consider reducing costs by reducing transportation service.

10 Why is school bus service consistently on the chopping block? School buses are taken for granted –By parents, administrators, legislators and the general public –People assume it will always be there although there is no federal commitment to school transportation Transportation becomes an easy target for negative thinking –Interest groups attack school buses on health, safety and environmental issues BAD STORIES ABOUT SCHOOL BUSES MAKE GREAT HEADLINES

11 Headlines convey a message... “Environmentalists worry about the effect of pollution on children who ride school buses” – October 23, 2006 “Diesel mandate has schools, trucking firms concerned about costs” – October 23, 2006 “Bus driver may have molested 100 young girls” – November 1, 2006 “Car Collides With School Bus; Students Sent to Hospitals” – October 31, 2006 “Boy, 15, Arrested After 'Bottle Bomb' Blows Up Near School Bus” – November 1, 2006

12 The result... Parents can have mixed feelings about yellow school buses Parents generally trust school bus transportation, but not the bus driver While parents trust the school bus, they still believe their car is safer Positive AttributesNegative Attributes Safe Convenient / time-saving Concerns with safety Incompetent / unprofessional drivers Misbehaving / noisy kids Long, bumpy ride Inconsistent schedule Old

13 Parents are anxious about the qualifications and history of school bus drivers because of limited information and contact Almost all think there should be national standards for school bus drivers, the most important of which are criminal background checks IF YES: Which types of standards would be the most important to implement? All % (N=963) Criminal background checks42 Drug and alcohol tests21 Driver safety training13 Driving history checks11 All of the above13 Do you think there should be national or federal government standards for school bus driver screening and training, such as criminal background checks, drug tests, driver safety training, etc.?

14 What Parents Don’t Know The school bus industry operates by a set of safety, security, health and driver qualification guidelines that meet, and in some cases exceed, federal and state laws, and ensure that school buses are the safest mode of transportation for our nation’s schoolchildren.

15 The American School Bus Council One Of A Kind - American School Bus Council represents a unique opportunity - Few organizations like it, no matter what industry - Suppliers and trade organizations working together for a common cause: Promoting the Safety, Security, Economic & Environmental Benefits of the Yellow School Bus

16 What Does ASBC Do? Council members work together to examine safety, health, security and access to education issues for schoolchildren and promote standards of safety, security and environmental responsibility that are above and beyond state and federal law. Council members also advocate for increased school transportation funding.

17 Members of the American School Bus Council Associations National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Manufacturers Blue Bird Corp. IC Corp. Thomas Built Buses

18 Our Goals Increased Ridership As the safest form of transportation to and from school, the ASBC is focused on growing yellow bus ridership through awareness and education. Ridership (millions of children) (total riders) Ridership

19 Our Goals Increased Awareness Raise awareness for the yellow school bus Educate parents, students, and law makers on the advantages provided by the yellow school bus Safety, Security, Economics, Environmental Benefits

20 Our Goals Secure Federal Funding The school bus industry currently receives minimal federal funding dollars –Yet we are the largest transportation system Public transportation is heavily funded by federal dollars ASBC goal is for the federal government to recognize school transportation as “public transportation” and provide equitable funding to the school bus industry

21 ASBC Work Since its debut in November 2006, the American School Bus Council has been working hard to promote school bus awareness and education -Love The Bus Campaign -Proactive Media/Issue Response -Web Site Development -ASBC Guidelines/Cell Phone Statement -Parental Research -Uniformed Messaging -Partnership Tool Kits Love The Bus Event

22 Proactive Media / Issues Response - Newspaper, radio, and television interviews including: Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, NY Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, the Associated Press, Reuters News Services, Education Week, L.A. Times, Des Moines Register, Voice of America, Las Vegas Review Journal, KAT Radio (NPR), NBC Nightly News, Christian Science Monitor, and the Detroit Free Press. - Daily monitoring of school bus news coverage - Letters to editors and notes to reporters sent in response to articles covering: driver training, engineering safety, environmental impact, safety and seat belts Web Site Development ( –A centralized resource of information on the school bus industry –Fact sheets and press contacts for media use –News updates of pro-bus coverage –An extranet for sharing internal resources ASBC Work

23 ASBC Work ASBC Guidelines American School Bus Council has endorsed Guidelines on Pupil Transportation designed to provide clear, national practices Guidelines endorsed by the ASBC –Health and Environmental Safety in School Bus Design and Construction –Pupil Transportation Safety; Vehicles and Procedures –School Bus Driver Qualifications, Hiring, and Training –School Transportation Security and Emergency Preparedness Visit the American School Bus Council website for more information.

24 ASBC Work Research Public Opinion Poll Conducted in Findings -Parents favor federal funding for school buses -Parents cite convenience and social development opportunities as advantages of the school bus -Parents generally trust school bus transportation, but not the bus driver -While parents trust the school bus, they still believe their car is safer Public Opinion Poll Conducted in 2008 – Findings: -Parents believe the school bus is a very important part of the education system. -Parents also believe a school bus is the only reliable form of transportation for many students and the ability of these students to receive a good education would be negatively impacted without it. -Parents strongly agree that school buses can help them save on transportation costs as fuel costs rise. -Parents overwhelmingly would rather school boards develop alternatives to cutting routes or stops in order to reduce the impact of high fuel prices.

25 ASBC and LOVE THE BUS ASBC coordinates public information from NASDPTS, NAPT, NSTA, and the big three school bus manufacturers LOVE THE BUS materials now posted ( for Valentine’s Daywww.LoveTheBus.com Promotes importance of bus drivers, safety record of school buses Positions on cell phone usage and other guidance

26 ASBC Messages Messaging Overall Message Yellow school buses comprise the largest transportation system in the country – 480,000 buses transporting more than 26 million children each day – and they are also the safest. Their unique design and the highly trained and licensed professionals who drive them make them the safest way for children to get to and from school. Although they are an American icon, the yellow school bus is often underappreciated for the safe, reliable and convenient service they provide to millions of families, and for ensuring that America’s children have access to an education. Message One: Safest Vehicles on the Road Message Two: Trained, Professional Drivers Message Three: Essential for Children and Convenient for Parents

27 Our Work Partner Tool Kit Designed to provide you with a “toolkit” of resources specifically designed to engage school children and parents in educational outreach about the school bus. Tool Kit Components: Fact Sheet “Carmen Loves The Bus” Children’s Book Coloring Pages FAQs Helpful Hints For Working With the Media for more information

28 What is the future of school transportation? It is important to protect the role of the school bus for the safety of future generations of riders. The ASBC is working to anticipate the challenges that face our industry and defend against any threats to our service. Get involved by visiting

29 The American School Bus Council was formed in to educate parents, school officials and lawmakers about the essential role of the yellow school bus in American life.

30 American School Bus Council For More Information on the ASBC Or visit