PUBLISHER’S CORNER Buckle Up for 2025 Written by Tony Corpin | tony@stnonline.com T


his year has started off with a flurry of activity. We have new leadership at Blue Bird, IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses. Last month, Presi- dent Donald Trump was sworn into office. A


new political trifecta has been created with the House of Representatives and Senate maintaining a Republican majority. Amid the leadership changes, federal legis- lators have been targeting improved school bus safety especially in the Danger Zone. Enter the Enhancing Necessary Data (END) Illegal Passing Act and the School Bus Safety Act. As Illegal passing of school buses continues to occur


across the country at alarming rates, the Jackie Walor- ski END Illegal Passing Act was reintroduced by Reps. Julia Brownley and Rudy Yakym. These two congressio- nal members continued the mission of Walorski, who tragically died in a vehicle collision in August 2022. The bill represents a vital component in the quest to curb this safety epidemic. The School Bus Safety Act aims to improve the safety


of students when traveling to and from school on buses. There have been multiple attempts at the federal level to pass this law, but these efforts have been met with mixed results. It would primarily address the issue of drivers illegally passing school buses when their red lights are flashing, indicating that children are either boarding or exiting. Key components of the act include increased penalties for passing a stopped school bus, enhanced enforce- ment and monitoring, awareness campaigns, and stronger laws for school bus safety. The overall goal is to reduce accidents and fatalities involving school children, making it safer for students when they are boarding or exiting school buses. States may adopt different versions of the law, but the core aim remains to keep students safe as they travel to and from school. There is certainly a need for both laws. According to a


study conducted by the National Association of State Di- rectors of Pupil Transportation (NASDPTS), an estimated 45.2 million illegal passing violations occurred during the 2023-2024 school year. NHSTA is also developing a campaign similar to “Click it or Ticket” that targeted in- creased seat belt usage in 1993. This time, NHTSA wants to increase awareness of illegal passing of school buses. A Super Bowl commercial would be the ultimate aware- ness platform, if funding would be authorized. A recent national study by NHTSA of 3,500 respon- dents found that over 30 percent of people said “They


58 School Transportation News • FEBRUARY 2025


didn’t care” when passing a school bus illegally. That kind of disrespect for the yellow school bus can’t be ignored. A quarter of motorists said they were in a hurry and nearly the same amount said they didn’t know the law. Another 12 percent said they were distracted. Illegal passing was a hot-button issue last month at


the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Midwinter Meeting. So was the topic of alternative trans- portation. I sat in a presentation by NASDPTS Executive Director Ronna Weber and President Mike Stier, as they shared a new position paper that calls out the safety of school buses compared to vans and other vehicles. NAS- DPTS issued 17 recommendations to address the safety of these alternative vehicles as well as their drivers. I have seen the growth and demand increase exponen-


tially for this type of alternative transportation service, but providers lack clear industry safety standards and guidelines. This has been an ongoing point of concern among industry stakeholders as more school districts utilize this type of home to school transportation service for students with disabilities and students served by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. It will also be a major topic of conversation at the upcoming Nation- al Congress on School Transportation (NCST) meeting held in Des Moines, Iowa, May 3-7. Also, during the NSTA meeting last month, I listened to discussions about the future of the EPA Clean School Bus Program, fuel tax exemption, safety fitness deter- mination, national employer notification of driving violations, federal minimum limits for financial re- sponsibility (insurance), and protection against unfair competition by public transit in provision of home to school bus transportation. New safety technology and device mandates were discussed, too. The school transportation industry is poised for sig-


nificant advancements and change this year. Join us next month at STN EXPO East in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, where you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your leadership, safety and operational exper- tise. Explore cutting-edge technology, innovative safety equipment and exciting new OEM product launches. We look forward to seeing you there. ●


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