In the News

Homeless student transportation is an ongoing issue for many school districts. It is especially problematic if the student’s drop off location changes multiple times throughout the school year. The costs of transporting a single student outside of typical routes can be costly. Fortunately, the federal government created the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 (“McKinney-Vento”), as a way to provide funding to help pay for the school transportation needs of homeless students. This ...

According to the General Duties Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), 29 U.S.C. § 654, each employer must furnish employees a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees. In the school bus industry that usually means protection from school bus violence. In January, 2017, OSHA fined a Pennsylvania psychiatric hospital $32,000 for exposing its employees to workplace violence caused by patients. Similarly, a Massach...

In 2014 New York legalized medical marijuana with passage of the Compassionate Care Act (CCA). This NY state law allows doctors to prescribe marijuana in a non-smokable form to patients with serious ailments that are recognized by the state on a predefined list of conditions. New York is one of twenty-nine states in the U.S. to have legalized marijuana. But, all of the state laws legalizing marijuana are in conflict with current federal law. This article discusses the conflict of the New York la...

The Pennsylvania Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (STSPA) requires owners and operators of Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) to comply with testing and inspections, ensuring no contaminants are released from their USTs. If owners or operators of USTs fail to comply with the requirements, they may be punished civilly under 35 P.S. §6021.1307, or criminally under 35 P.S. § 6021.1306. Civil penalties may be assessed up to $10,000 per day for each violation. 35 P.S. § 6021.1307 (a). This articl...

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for most individuals. As a result, it is seemingly impossible to go through the day without utilizing it for any given purpose. From employees to employers, social media affects everyone. This article discusses the use of social media as it relates to school transportation contractors.

Many school bus contractors house small above-ground fuel tanks on their property. However, not all contractors are aware of their state’s fuel-tank maintenance requirements. Above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) holding less than 21,000 gallons require management by way of inspections or monitoring on a periodic basis. This article discusses the major requirements mandated by state law, so your small tanks remain compliant and you avoid severe penalties.

As all New York school bus contractors know, every school bus driver in New York must show proof of fitness by passing a physical performance test approved by the Commissioner of Education at least once every two years. 8 NYCRR §156.3. New York also provides guidelines created by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), with the intent to ensure tests are being performed correctly. Unfortunately, bus drivers are often injured when technique takes precedence over safely performing the tes...