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Committee debates bus safety, staffing and tracking system as drivers report near‑miss
Summary
The subcommittee heard reports on driver staffing, BusRight rollout, a near‑miss in which a motorist reportedly drove through a stopped school bus’s lights, and the district’s use of stop‑arm/outside cameras, ride‑alongs and progressive discipline to improve bus safety.
RSU 40/MSAD 40 transportation staff briefed the committee on driver staffing, upcoming vehicle deliveries, the BusRight tracking rollout and a recent bus‑route safety incident that committee members said underlined enforcement challenges.
Staff introduced two new transportation hires and said the district ordered a Bluebird flat‑nose bus expected in September. On the technology front, staff described the BusRight parent‑notification system and warned that initial setup requires extra work but becomes easier in subsequent years. "The initial setup is a death march. After that, the following years, it becomes exponentially easier," the operations presenter said, citing another district’s experience with a day-long setup.
A driver recounted a recent near‑miss in which, the driver said, a car drove through the bus’s stop‑lights while a kindergartner was crossing. The presenter said some of the newer buses are equipped with stop‑arm/outside cameras that can capture vehicles passing while the bus is stopped and that video evidence is forwarded to enforcement agencies. "The stop pop cameras are what video outside the bus ... you can get video evidence," staff said.
Committee members asked about volunteer ride‑alongs and monitors. Staff said volunteers and ride‑along personnel must undergo background checks; some volunteers are used for field trips but district policy limits unsupervised volunteer disciplinary roles on buses. The district also described a progressive discipline process (bus slips) that escalates from staff counseling to administrative responses; staff cautioned that removing bus access can create attendance and food‑security issues for students who rely on transportation.
Members discussed practical enforcement limits; a committee member noted that even with video evidence many motorists ignore bus lights. Staff emphasized continued use of ride‑alongs, driver support and targeted interventions to improve behavior.
The committee did not change policy at the meeting but agreed to further coordination between drivers, transportation leadership and the facilities subcommittee over the summer.
