Every day, school buses in Alabama provide transportation for over 377,852 public school students and their safety is paramount. To continue educating students, parents and school personnel on the importance of bus safety, the Alabama Department of Education kicks off School Bus Safety Week, October 19-23.
“Hundreds of thousands of Alabama’s students ride to school every day on our buses. We encourage all schools to promote School Bus Safety Week to remind students, teachers, school bus drivers, parents and others to always be safety conscious around school buses, especially while buses are loading and unloading. This is the most dangerous time for students”, said Joe Lightsey, Director of Pupil Transportation at the Department of Education.
Celebrated annually during the third full week of October, School Bus Safety Week promotes awareness through poster contests and distribution of community awareness toolkits. The American School Bus Council offers these tips for school bus riders:
· Be alert to traffic. Check both ways for cars before stepping off bus.
· Make eye contact with the bus driver and wait for the bus driver’s signal before crossing the street.
· Walk in front of the bus; never walk behind the bus to cross the street
· While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place away from the street
School buses not only offer free transportation for school age children, they also offer solutions to issues facing the country. Safety is addressed by creating a safe riding environment for students and traffic is reduced by eliminating cars on the road. The American School Bus Council estimates that the gas savings are more than $8 billion a year on fuel costs. Students’ riding in the school bus instead of a family car means fewer car trips and less pollution to the environment.
Resources including an online activity booklet, quizzes and helpful tips can be found at the National Association for Pupil Transportation's Web site.
For more information on pupil transportation, please visit the State Department’s Pupil Transportation section.
Alabama Pupil Transportation Facts*
Daily Route Miles 451,798
Annual Route Miles 81,323,640**
Number of Students Transported Daily 377,852
Percentage of all students transported 51%
Total Number of School buses 9,217
Average Student per Bus 50
*Data as of October 1, 2008
**Both loaded and unloaded miles are included in this figure.