School Bus Transportation News at STN Media

*1999 Report Card on

School Bus Safety in the U.S.

Tennessee

Public School Enrollment (K-12)	905,089
Number of children in public schools who ride school buses	N/A
Total Number of yellow school buses in state	6,398
Percentage of older (pre-1977)** school buses still in service	0%
Number of school-aged children killed in school bus body type vehicles	0
Number of school-aged children killed in passenger vehicles during normal school hours*** Many of these children would probably be alive today if they had been on a school bus	12
Number of school-aged pedestrians killed in school bus related crashes	0
Number of school-aged pedestrians killed during normal school hours*** in non-school bus related crashes (bicycling, walking, etc.)	3
Pupil transportation budget (1996-1997 school year)	$109,462,528
Cost per enrolled pupil for school bus transportation		$121.34

Based on latest available data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHSTA), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and The Executive Edge.

** School buses manufactured after April 1, 1977 have much improved safety features, including high-back, closely spaced and well-padded seats that offer superior crash protection to children. Known as compartmentalization, this seating concept effectively "packages children like eggs" and negates the need for lap belts. Buses manufactured after 1992 have even more safety equipment, including stop signal arms and additional mirrors. Parents should demand the retirement of any bus still in use that was manufactured before April 1, 1977.

*** 6:00 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:59 p.m., Monday through Friday, September 1, 1996 through June 15, 1997.