The National Transportation Safety Board says driver inattention, faulty school bus brakes and inadequate following distances all contributed to a fatal crash in Gray Summit, Mo., 18 months ago that involved two school buses and killed a high school band member.

Many California school districts breathed a sigh of relief today after both houses of the legislature approved Senate Bill 81, fast-tracked legislation that restores $248 million in transportation cuts made in December to help plug the state's budget hole.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) board of directors announced that a project launched last fall at its annual conference is resulting in a variety of customized metrics that will help members improve the quality of service offered to parents and students.

If a light exists at the end of this recessionary tunnel, it is sure taking its sweet time getting here. After a momentary production spike reported in this space last year, total school bus manufacturing output fell again during the recently concluded 2010-2011 production year, this time by more than 25 percent.