To: NATIONAL EDITORS

Contact: Christine DiBartolo, +1-312-596-3412, or Allison Kaminsky, +1-202-530-4688, both for the American School Bus Council

This Year's Theme: Stop on Red, Kids Ahead

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In honor of National School Bus Safety Week, the American School Bus Council today unveiled enhanced resources to help educate students, parents and teachers on school bus safety. Activities are also scheduled in school districts nationwide to highlight the importance of school bus safety awareness and education.

This year's theme, Stop on Red, Kids Ahead, emphasizes the importance for drivers to follow the rules of the road and stop when the red lights flash and children are getting on and off the bus. As part of this year's theme, the ASBC has developed a number of education materials to help school districts, teacher and parents better educate students riding the bus, including a School Bus Safety Quiz, Helpful Hints and online resources.

"Every year the school bus industry comes together to celebrate School Bus Safety Week and to ensure that the public is aware of the safety benefits of school bus transportation," said Mike Martin, Executive Director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation and member of the ASBC. "Each day children ride school buses to and from school. Our job is to ensure that they get to school safe and sound on each and every ride."

For years, school buses have provided free access to an education for millions of children in America through healthy, safe and secure transportation to schools. Every day, more than 480,000 school buses deliver 26 million students to school safely and reliably, so they arrive at school ready to learn. All told, school buses provide over 10 billion passenger trips each year. In turn, school buses offer solutions to four key pressing issues facing our country:

-- Safety: School buses are the safest form of transportation for students - and many times safer than riding in the family car. -- Traffic: Every child riding a school bus represents one fewer car on the road, especially in the congested area in and around schools, where children are at highest risk. -- Fuel Consumption: The ASBC estimates that school bus transportation saves Americans more than $8 billion a year on fuel costs. -- Environment: Students riding in the school bus instead of the family car means fewer car trips and less pollution.

Celebrated the third full week of October each year, School Bus Safety Week promotes awareness on the local and state level through poster and speech contests, distribution of school bus safety community awareness toolkits, and other activities to raise awareness of school bus safety issues.

The ASBC offers the following tips for school bus riders:

-- Be alert to traffic. Check both ways for cars before stepping off the 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. -- Before leaving the sidewalk, look for the flashing red lights. -- Never go under the bus to retrieve something you've dropped.

About School Bus Safety Week

School Bus Safety Week - established in 1966 by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and National School Transportation Association - educates students, parents and the motoring public about the safety of our nation's children who are transported daily on yellow school buses. This week also recognizes the hard work and dedication of school professionals, especially the school bus drivers who ensure a safe journey for our children each and every day. For more information about School Bus Safety Week please visit www.napt.org.

About the American School Bus Council

The American School Bus Council is a coalition of the school transportation industry -- including public and private transportation providers, school bus manufacturers and state officials responsible for pupil transportation. Council members are committed to providing safe, effective, efficient and healthy transportation for the more than 26 million schoolchildren who ride more than 480,000 school buses each day.

The Council's members include NAPT (National Association for Pupil Transportation - http://www.napt.org), NASDPTS (National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services - http://www.nasdpts.org), NSTA (National School Transportation Association - http://www.yellowbuses.org), Blue Bird Corp. of Fort Valley, Ga. (http://www.blue-bird.com), IC Corporation of Warrenville, Ill. (http://www.ic-corp.com), and Thomas Built Buses of High Point, N.C. (http://www.thomasbus.com)

The American School Bus Council was formed in 2006 to educate parents, school officials and lawmakers about the essential role the yellow school bus plays in the safety, health, security and readiness of America's schoolchildren. Council members advocate for increased school transportation funding and advances industry standards on safety, security, environment, energy and access to education that are above and beyond state and federal law.

For more information, visit our Web site at www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org.

SOURCE American School Bus Council

-0-

• Email Story
• IM Story
• Printable View
• Yahoo! Buzz

Politics News

• Obama moves into GOP states after final debateAP
• Big Issue: Voters fret about financial uncertaintyAP
• Obama, McCain on the EconomyAP
• 'Joe the Plumber' says he has no plumbing licenseAP
• GWU poll: Obama solidifying leadPolitico

Most Viewed - Politics

• Joe the Plumber won't say who will get his voteReuters
• Social Security benefits taking big jumpAP
• Obama moves into GOP states after final debateAP
• Obama, McCain line up for red-state sprintPolitico
• 'Joe the Plumber' says he has no plumbing licenseAP

  Add comment

Name:
E-Mail:
Comment:
Enter code: