Industry Takes Proactive Publicity Measures with New Council

Ryan Gray | Senior Editor

(Nov. 21, 2006) - Amid ongoing public misperceptions of the American yellow school bus, events over a span of two weeks illustrated to the industry the exact need for a proactive publicity arm.

First, on Nov. 6, the journal "Pediatrics" from the American Academy of Pediatrics published an article detailing the estimated total number of school bus crash injuries per year, figures that far surpassed previous federal estimates because it accounted for more than simply injuries sustained on the school bus caused during motor vehicle crashes. While the report actually supports the inherent safety of the school bus, several national media outlets reported the figures as meaning school buses aren't as safe as previously thought.

Then, two weeks later to the day on Nov. 20, a Lee High School bus driver in Huntsville, Ala., reportedly used an evasive manuever to avoid a teenage driver on Interstate 565. The bus with 40 students onboard crashed though a concrete divider and plunged head first some 30 feet off the freeway overpass landing nose first. Two female students died at the scene and a third girl was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. A fourth student, also a female, then succumbed to her injuries the following day. Fourteen other students and the driver remained in serious condition following surgery and three students were in critical condition.

"Our first priority in the school bus industry is the safety of our nation's children, and the school transportation industry, safety regulators and state pupil transportation officials continually look for ways to improve safety in the design, maintenance and operation of yellow school buses," said Pete Japikse and Don Tudor, co-chairs of the newly formed American School Bus Council, in a statement. "Although accidents do occur, the yellow school bus is still the safest way to transport children to and from school."

At the NAPT's 32nd Annual Conference and Trade Show in Kansas City, the three national school bus associations and the three large school bus manufacturers announced the three-year, $1 million outreach campaign that hopes to educate the public and especially parents on school bus safety, strict federal school bus construction requirements and the hours upon hours of advanced training required of the nation's more than 625,000 school bus personnel.

The newly formed American School Bus Council (ASBC) is utilizig public relations efforts to "tell the story to the world" of school bus safety facts, said Ken Hedgecock of campaign co-partner Thomas Built Buses. In addition to spreading the word of the inherent safety of the yellow school bus, its mission is to proactively combat any public misunderstandings over the next few years with a cyclical plan of advocacy, action, awareness and education by providing tool kits to schools and school bus operators nationwide for getting the positive word out. It also plans to roll out related training programs at national industry shows and state association conferences.

Past NASDPTS president Pete Japikse, Ohio's state director, made the announcement of ASBC with Don Tudor, South Carolina's state director, at NAPT on Nov. 6. Japikse said it differs from the pre-existing School Bus Safety Council, which is more fact-based rather than a publicity vehicle. He added that the ASBC is identifying potential allies to help promote its safety message. He did not rule out a relationship with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The AAP study of more than 51,000 injuries resulting from school-bus related accidents from 2001 through 2003 made headlines nationwide as it indicated the average number of school bus injuries are more than three times greater than figures released by NHTSA in its 2002 School Bus Crashworthiness report. The AAP cites a figure of some 17,000 emergency room visits each year during the reported period by students after school bus crashes compared to approximately 5,000 a year by NHTSA. However, the AAP report also says 97 percent of children brought to the emergency room are treated and released from the hospital, which equates to approximately 510 serious injuries per year that require hospital admittance, very similar to the number NHTSA uses in gauging how many serious injuries occur each year in school buses.

One of the first items of business for the ASBC will be an attempt to forge a relationship with AAP members to clarify the issue of school bus accidents and related injuries. It will also reach out to parents. The council officially began work last month with two focus groups that found parents on one hand appreciated school buses for their convenience in getting their children to school safely, but they also were concerned with instances of onboard bullying and long bus rides. They also indicated a general distrust of school bus drivers.

In addition to Thomas Built Buses, NASDPTS is partnering with NAPT, NSTA and school bus OEMs Blue Bird and IC Corp. More information is available at www.americanschoolbuscouncil.com.