In two week's time, school transportation industry representatives are scheduled to sit down with those from NHTSA to discuss how to go about setting up a public education campaign using federal dollars to promote the safety and environmental benefits of the yellow bus.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's June 2 letter to Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) announced that "current budgetary resources" will be allocated from NHTSA's FY 2011 budget to create informational brochures, flyers [sic] and press releases" designed to help increase school bus ridership. It is the first time a sitting U.S. transportation secretary has made a pledge to advance any kind of public outreach in support of transporting more school children via the school bus.
Coble was one of 49 House members and eight senators who signed a letter drafted this spring by the American School Bus Council that petitioned LaHood to create the campaign that educates the public on not only school bus safety but how school buses can reduce traffic congestion and fuel costs. A school transportation industry insider said that the congressional support was key in prompting LaHood to commit to the project, even as state and local school district budgets have been slashed due to the economy, resulting in wide-scale route cuts and eliminations.
There were no specifics at this writing, as formal conversations between ASBC and NHTSA had yet to take place. It also remained unknown how the campaign might take shape or how the industry might be able to respond to a sudden increase in riders as a result. But, an industry insider said that NHTSA had indicated a willingness to sit down at the table and discuss all options.
LaHood pointed out in his letter that a recent National Household Travel Survey found that school bus ridership has remained around 40 percent of public student enrollment over the last four decades."I am encouraged by this finding, given that the safety of the Nation's transportation system is my top priority, especially when it involves the safety our our children," wrote LaHood.
Still, ASBC took umbrage to the fact that NHTSA's updated strategic plan, also released earlier this month, contained no mention of school busing.