School bus safety is an important topic, and one that finds itself in the headlines often – from onboard technology and student behavior to vehicle safety, driver training and beyond. But what about the students who walk to school, navigating busy roads just to get to their morning class? What measures are in place to help ensure they get to school safely and on-time?

Crossing guards are a vital part of your child’s commute

It’s easy to take crossing guards for granted, and sometimes we forget how important their job is.

With their fluorescent reflective vests and stop signs, crossing guards are instrumental in helping children get to and from school safely. If you are interested in hiring a crossing guard for an area near your school, contact your local police department or school board.

Schools, law enforcement, government planning departments, and community members may implement a crossing guard program as a group or separately.

Most school bus rides go smoothly and remain incident-free. But sometimes students need a little gentle discipline to encourage better bus behavior. What can you do to ensure that all students exhibit proper school bus conduct?

Throughout the United States, school districts are onboarding a GPS tracking device on every school bus in an effort to keep students safe and save money.

These days, a global positioning system (GPS) is seamlessly integrated into smartphones. While paper maps are nice, it is easier to check your phone for directions, estimated time of arrival, and traffic slowdowns along the way. School districts are beginning to take advantage of this technology for similar reasons.

At the start of this school year, Rutherford County schools in Tennessee equipped all 250 of their school buses with a GPS tracking device. The growing school district buses over 25,000 students each day, and that number is rapidly increasing.

A quality infographic is worth a thousand words. Put simply, an infographic is a graphic that lays out information in a visually accessible format. Infographics are a great tool for teachers, school administrators, and transportation directors to quickly learn or teach others about safety tips, teaching methods, and new classroom technology.

Preparing your school bus fleet for the winter months can save you time by preventing malfunctions and money in potential repairs. One key area of focus that is sometimes overlooked is maintaining and replacing shock absorbers. Failure to inspect and repair damaged or malfunctioning shocks can lead to more than just an uncomfortable ride — it can cause unsafe driving conditions.

For kids, winter time means hot chocolate, snowmen and, of course, magical snow days. However, for school administrators, frigid days and inclement weather pose many problems. Whether you are a superintendent, school administrator or transportation director, you need to be prepared for hail and snow. This means making sure parking lots, bus lanes, and walkways are clear and salted.

It also means you need to make sure your bus fleet is ready to handle the next few months of slush and black ice. While school buses are statistically safer than other vehicles on the road, they must be kept in proper working condition and able to overcome anything Mother Nature throws their way.

Bus routing is not just “connecting the dots” between home and school. The routing process must take many different factors into account, including maximum bus capacity, maximum riding time for students, and start/end bell times for schools.

As a parent, efficient bus routing is important because it ensures your child is safely transported between home and school. That's right — the school bus your son or daughter takes to school every morning is the safest vehicle for him or her to ride in. With high seatbacks, bright flashing lights, giant mirrors, and easily discernible yellow coloring, school buses ensure your child is protected during their commute.

Bus routing is a complicated process and one of the most important elements for the success of a school district's transportation department. Taking time to understand the complicated process behind school bus routing is critical for school districts. After all, bus fleets are what bring students to and from school.

Not long ago, the idea of cameras in public places, cars and school buses seemed like science fiction. However, in today’s world, surveillance cameras provide a much-needed service to society. In many cases, the presence of a surveillance camera is enough to deter unruly behavior and prevent bullying or harassment on school buses.

Imagine you have a choice to send your child to school on Bus A or Bus B. Bus A has a surveillance camera that is set to record every morning and afternoon while Bus B has no camera. Which would you choose? Given the fact that 1 out of 4 students is bullied, you would be right to send your son or daughter to school on Bus A.