MOUNDSVILLE - Amid allegations that school buses in Marshall County are not being operated safely, administrators are addressing the situation - and they say their new buses prove it.
According to Marshall County Schools Transportation Director Beth Bertram, five brand-new school buses with state-of-the-art safety features have been purchased.
The 2009 Blue Bird Vision models are now in the school system's garage, and they feature several safety features that address situations including students standing in the aisles, which recently has been reported by parents of students riding those buses.
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Photo by Annie Dimmick
The 2009 Blue Bird Vision school buses in Marshall County include narrower aisles and higher, padded seats for safety; increased visibility for drivers, better ventilation and advanced diagnostics tools for drivers and technicians. The county purchased five of the buses at a cost of $78,000 each.
With narrower aisles, higher, padded seats and much less room to allow anything other than sitting, Bertram said the new buses significantly reduce the risk of danger and have all state-mandated safety features.
"You're basically wedged in there for safety," Bertram said, adding that the seats also have extra padding.
Another safety feature on the buses is their angled hoods, which, when combined with an extendible safety bar that prevents students and pedestrians from getting too close to the front of the bus, allows the driver to see 12 feet ahead of the bumper. Both features are unique to this model.
Other features include better ventilation, advanced diagnostics tools for drivers and technicians and a Hendrickson front axle for better maneuverability.
The buses cost $78,000 each and were funded through money allotted to each county from the state, Bertram said.
At a Marshall County Board of Education meeting Sept. 9, some parents told board members they have witnessed students standing in the aisles or sitting on the laps of others in recent weeks due to overcrowding. While Bertram said some of the buses are at capacity, she added that the majority of them are not and overcrowding is not an issue. She said her department has seen more students riding buses this year due to changes in routes - a result of recent consolidations at schools that Bertram said have caused some transportation confusion.
When school started Aug. 26, many students were going to new schools because of construction at McNinch Elementary and the closing of Sanford and Park View elementaries. The former Sanford building is now known as McNinch I and houses students in first and second grades; the former Park View building is now known as McNinch II and houses pre-k and kindergarten students. These buildings are being utilized in this way while the McNinch building undergoes a $3.5 million renovation.
Central is now home to students in grades three through five who previously would have attended Central, Park View, Sanford and McNinch. Bertram, who has taught bus safety classes, said with many students going to school buildings they would not have normally attended, more students are riding different buses. She also said she gets many requests from parents to have their children ride different buses on certain days because they split time living with each parent or have to be taken to after-school programs.
"This disruption not only affected town buses, but also country buses," Bertram said. "I still have a real concern. When these kids keep swapping around, the drivers don't know their faces."
However, she noted that of the 72 buses that operated on the first day of school, 67 ran with absolutely no problems. She said that the drivers are committed to making sure every student gets where he or she is supposed to be safely, and she does not anticipate these same problems next year. "We've got a good system going here, and I am proud of it," Bertram said. "I know what the laws are and I practice them."