In the News

How school bus contractors respond when a student acts out on the school bus is a balancing act of knowledge, training, and consistency. School bus contractors are obligated to keep all students safe, and are mandated by state and federal laws to provide a safe environment on the school bus. Parents and school administrators have different concerns and legal obligations than do school bus contractors. Often, this makes it difficult for all three parties to see eye-to-eye, which increases the ne...

How should school bus operators respond when a special needs student acts aggressively on the school bus? Of course, school bus operators want to be sensitive to the special needs of the student who may be exhibiting violent behavior. But, school bus operators must keep all students safe and, as employers, are obligated under OSHA to provide a safe work environment for their workers (29 U.S.C. 29 U.S.C. § 654.)

School Bus Contractors are well aware of the issues of diesel emissions and carbon footprints left behind by diesel motors. Government regulations and transportation agreements have evolved to ensure aging, environmentally hazardous, and inefficient vehicles are replaced with fleets equipped with the latest technology to minimize diesel emissions. Fleet replacement plans are a constant balancing act of contract compliance, vehicle efficiency, and costs. The Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq....

Living in a diverse country such as America, we encounter people with many and varying religious practices. Currently, state and federal laws require employers to make reasonable accommodations for an employee’s religious practices. But, can an employer or the state DMV require a person to remove religious headwear or face coverings for a driver’s license photo or employee ID badge? Below you will find a discussion of laws related to the removal of religious headwear or face coverings for a dr...

Across the nation there are currently 24 states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. Medicinal marijuana can be used as a treatment for multiple conditions ranging from chronic pain to epilepsy to cancer. But, while many states have legalized medicinal marijuana, individuals using marijuana in compliance with state law are concurrently violating federal laws prohibiting the use of marijuana. Discussion and guidance follows.

The 2017 legal environment was active for school bus contractors in Pennsylvania but the two cases discussed in this article are notable because they demonstrate the wide range of results that can occur when courts review termination of employment due to a driver’s positive drug test. Contact our office to obtain a copy of the full article discussing the cases, as well as considerations for school bus contractors.

Recently, Pennsylvania state authorities have provided conflicting direction on whether school bus videos must be produced when a copy is requested by a parent or other third party. This article will discuss the conflicting positions and provide practical guidance for contractors.