1. The Rising Tide of School Bus Safety
Charlie Hood, Executive Director

2. Or should I say, “Tsunami?!!”

3. Chattanoooga, 11/21/16 6 student fatalities

4. Preliminary Findings
Bus ran off road to left, collided with pole, then overturned on right side into tree
Curved, residential road, 30 mph limit
Driver likely speeding, per Tenn. State Patrol
Since August, driver had one reportable and one non-reportable crash in school buses

5. Follow-up Actions
Rep. Steve Cohen introduced HR 6461, the “Bring Enhanced Liability in Transportation for Students Act” (the BELTS Act)
Bill was to address illegal passing, belts, and student detection systems
NASDPTS sent letter offering to assist in further improving school bus safety
NASDPTS informed Cohen of our support for lap/shoulder belts and finding funds
Others calling for Congressional hearings

6. Issues for Discussion
Baltimore crash, 11/1/16 raising similar issues (school bus and transit bus driver and 4 passengers of transit bus killed)
Medical history and certification of drivers
Speeding
Video recording systems
Electronic stability control
Driving history
NASDPTS awaiting NTSB
$64K Question: What about driver shortage???

7. NHTSA Meeting, December 1: Thinking Outside the Bus
NAPT, NSTA, and NASDPTS united in message to NHTSA
Called for national campaign to reduce illegal passing of school buses
NHTSA Administrator committed the agency to a national program and safety education campaign to reduce illegal passing
Archived webcast at

8. Student Loading Zone Fatalities
Kansas has conducted annual surveys of all states since 1970
During past five years (FY2011 through FY 2015), nationally:
Average of five students per year killed by vehicle illegally passing school bus
Average of three students per year killed by own bus

9. NASDPTS Illegal Passing Survey
Completed annually since 2011 to document incidence of this well known safety threat
2016 survey results:
96K school bus drivers in 33 states, plus DC, participated
74K motorists illegally passed stopped buses
Complete results available at

10. Multi-year Summary

11. The Perennial “Belts” Issue
18 states (and counting) considering legislation to require safety restraints (mostly 3-point)
Congressional interest in grant funding
NHTSA has not reversed position of support
NHTSA starting project to collect data from jurisdictions using or considering using belts
NASDPTS supports effort and will assist
NTSB school bus safety video at

12. NTSB Recommendations
Recommendations prompted by 2012 NJ and St. Lucie school bus crashes and 2014 Anaheim, CA school bus crash sent to NASDPTS, November 7, 2016, concurrent with presentation to our members by Chris Hart and release of the new NTSB school bus safety video
NASDPTS responded to NTSB recommendations

13. NTSB Recommendations, 11/7/16
To NASDPTS, NSTA, and NAPT:
H Inform school bus drivers of the impact their health may have on the safe transportation of school children, of their responsibility to accurately and completely report their health history and medications, and of the legal consequences of dishonesty on the medical examination report.

14. NASDPTS Response
Informed our members about the circumstances of the Anaheim crash and the NTSB recommendations
Emphasized that drivers must self-report medical history honestly per the MEC
Recommended use of federal ME by all states
Recommended each state determine potential legal consequences of failure to self-report and inform drivers

15. NTSB Recommendations, 11/7/16
H Encourage your members to ensure that any onboard video system in their vehicles provides visibility of the driver and of each occupant seating location, visibility forward of the vehicle, optimized frame rate, and low-light recording capability.

16. NASDPTS Response
Adopted Resolution A at 2015 NCST ( recommending that onboard video systems provide visibility of driver, of each occupant seating location, and forward of the vehicle
Emphasized importance of properly specifying onboard video systems and ensuring they function as designed
Considering collecting model procurement and equipment specifications from suppliers and states

17. NTSB Recommendations, 11/7/16
H Provide your members with educational materials on lap and shoulder belts providing the highest level of protection for school bus passengers, and advise states or school districts to consider this added safety benefit when purchasing seat belt-equipped school buses.

18. NASDPTS Response
In 2008 rulemaking, NASDPTS encouraged NHTSA to mandate 3-point lap/shoulder belts with commensurate funding
In 2014, NASDPTS published its Position Paper, “The Equipping and Use of Passenger Lap/Shoulder Belts in School Buses”
In 2015, NASDPTS proposed updates to the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures that included 13 instances of rec’s and graphical training flyers for students and drivers on proper wearing and use of lap belts and lap/shoulder belts

19. Other Items GAO School Bus Safety Study released
VW Settlement (get your foot in the door)
Updated ASBC infographics and website
TSA First Observer Plus (renewed)
Entry Level Driver Training rule delayed
Changes in administration, regulatory activities, and priorities at US Education Department, USDOT, DHS, EPA, and others

21. Contact Info
(Charlie Hood)