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2015 State and National Issues

Stay informed about proposed legislation impacting school transportation in Florida, including safety measures and budget appropriations. Detailed insights from the 25th Annual Lake Yale Leadership Training Meeting. Key focus areas: student transportation, legislative proposals, operator records, and seatbelt regulations.

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2015 State and National Issues

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  1. 2015 State and National Issues Presented to 25th Annual Lake Yale Leadership Training Meeting April 7, 2015 Ronnie H. McCallister, Director School Transportation Florida Department of Education

  2. 2015 Legislation--Proposed • Student Trans. Appropriations (as of 2/12/15)- • Governor’s budget rec. for 2015-16 is $443M, still within FEFP • Governor’s budget rec. for 2014-15 is $436M, still within FEFP

  3. 2015 Legislation--Proposed • SB 154, HB 41- Would require that school boards and other governmental entities identify and correct conditions that are hazardous along student walking routes to school • SB 574-Government Procurement; Defining the term “reverse auction”; requiring the Department of Management Services to maintain a program for reverse auctions; authorizing the Department of Education to use reverse auctions and other online procurement programs in assisting district school boards with transportation services contracts; authorizing the Board of Governors to adopt regulations establishing procedures governing a state university’s participation in reverse auctions and other online procurement programs, etc.

  4. 2015 Legislation--Proposed • SB 346, HB 487- Revises wording s. 316.172 to state that a person operating a vehicle passing a stopped school bus that displays a stop- arm signal on the right side commits reckless driving punishable as provided in s. 316.192. Removes references to require mandatory hearing. Adds an additional $65 mandatory fine for EMSTF; minimum fine is uniform regardless of which side you pass.

  5. FDOE Lesgislative Package • s. 1011.68, F.S., Codifies student eligibility requirements for weighted student transportation funding. • Clarifies that passenger cars and boats may be used to transport students who are isolated, homeless or in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families. • Clarifies that only students who generate FTE through the FEFP during the summer are eligible for student transportation funding.

  6. Chapter 6A-1, and 6A-3, FAC, Update: • Rule 6A-1.0451, FAC, changes were adopted (May 2014) to clarify which students transported in PV were eligible for funding • Rules 6A-3.0141, 6A-3.0151, and 6A-3.0171, FAC are scheduled for review at the May 2015, State Board Meeting

  7. School Bus Speed Limit,Rule 6A-3.0171, FAC Per our discussion, I took a further look at the issue of whether our Rule 6A-3.0171, F.A.C., can limit the speed a school bus may go to 55 mph in light of the legislative changes to section 316.183.  Based on the legislative history, it is clear that by deleting the previously existing limit of 55 mph, and leaving only the restriction that school buses must obey the posted speed, the legislature intended that the restriction to 55 mph would no longer apply and school buses can go up to the posted speed limit.  Therefore, I think the limitation to 55 mph in our existing rule needs to be stricken.  Mari M. "Miki" Presley, Assistant General Counsel

  8. Legislation, Statutes, and Rules • www.leg.state.fl.us (Florida legislative bills and statutes) • www.flrules.org (Florida rules and statutes, especially Chapter 6A-3, FAC, and Sections 1006.21 to 1006.27, and 1012.45, F.S.) • www.regulations.gov (federal rulemaking—dockets and public comments)

  9. Bus Operator Records Findings • District personnel indicated that prior to October 15, 2013, monthly, not weekly, reviews of bus driver history records from the FDHSMV were performed. • Our test of District records disclosed 3 bus drivers who received driving citations that should have resulted in points assessed or other types of disciplinary actions; however, District records did not evidence any actions against the 3 bus drivers. • However, our comparison of District records and FDHSMVrecords disclosed that one bus driver’s commercial vehicle driver’s license was suspended for lack of appropriate insurance coverage from February 1, 2014, through April 2, 2014, during which time she drove a District school bus.

  10. Bus Operator Records Findings (continued) • Our comparison of District records and FDHSMV records disclosed three bus drivers had suspended commercial vehicle driving licenses for not timely submitting medical examiner’s certificates. • One bus driver drove regularly scheduled bus routes from September 2013 to June 2014, another bus driver drove regularly scheduled bus routes from March 2014 to June 2014, and the remaining bus driver drove as a substitute from March 2014 to May 2014.

  11. Proper Use of Operator and Transported Students Seatbelts =Responsibility • 316.6145 School buses; safety belts or other restraint systems required.— (1)(a) Each school bus that is purchased new after December 31, 2000, and used to transport students in grades pre-K through 12 must be equipped with safety belts or with any other restraint system approved by the Federal Government in a number sufficient to allow each student who is being transported to use a separate safety belt or restraint system. • Operators are required to wear their seatbelt in accordance with manufacturer instructions. (Not tucked behind the shoulder or not in use at all)

  12. FDOE issued flyer in 2005 reminding drivers to wear belts properly Also reminds drivers that students must wear belts FAPT and FDOE developed specifications for more visible driver belts to aid monitoring and enforcement

  13. Fatalities in 2013-14: • Seminole, 8/30/13- Two passengers killed in PV crash with school bus • Collier, 10/31/13- PV driver killed in crash with school bus • Hillsborough, 11/8/13- Motorcyclist, killed in crash with school bus • Escambia, 4/14/14- Motorcyclist, killed in crash with school bus

  14. Fatalities in 2013-14: • St. Lucie, 4/7/14- Pedestrian student killed by car (not school bus related) • Pasco, 4/9/14- PV driver killed in crash with school bus • Duval, 4/11/14- Driver and passenger were killed in multi-vehicle crash with school bus • FSUS, 4/18/14- Bus driver killed PV crash with school bus

  15. Fatalities in 2013-14: • Escambia, 5/2/14- PV driver killed in crash with school bus

  16. Fatalities in 2014-15 (as of 2/9/15): • Lee, 8/28/14- PV driver killed in crash with school bus • Lee, 9/25/14- PV driver killed in crash with school bus • Charlotte, 10/2/14- Pedestrian student killed by PV (not school bus related) • Flagler, 1/9/15- PV driver killed in crash with school bus

  17. Crash Reporting Reminders: • Reporting threshold is $1,000, started 07-08 • DOE is continuing to require that districts reconcile district-reported numbers (DOE system) with police reports (DHSMV system) • DOE receives daily clippings from DHSMV of ALL fatal crashes in Florida??

  18. FATAL Crash Reporting • Districts should provide immediate notice of any fatal crash to FDOE as soon as practical • Report by phone call and follow up with e-mail crash report form • Helps district and FDOE answer immediate questions from administrators, media • Info is always treated as preliminary • Not meant as substitute for regular FDOE and police crash reporting

  19. Initial FDOE Notification of Significant School Bus Crash • Date: ________________ District/Charter School: ______ • Location: _________________ • Circle route type: Elementary Middle High School Combination • Bus number: _______________ • Number of students on board: _______________ • Number of student injuries: _____________ • Number of students transported to hospital: ______________ • Bus operator’s name: ___________________ • Bus operator’s years of service: _______________ • Was the bus operator taken to the hospital? (yes/no): _______ • Was the bus operator tested for drugs? (yes/no): _____ • Were other vehicles involved? (yes/no):________ • Number of other individuals transported to hospital: _________ • Were there any fatalities? (yes/no): ______________ • Specify number and category of fatalities (student, bus operator or others): _________ • Brief description of crash: _____________________________________________________________

  20. Tennessee School Bus Crash 12/2014Two Students and One Adult were killed

  21. Other Required Local Policies (Chapter 6A-3, FAC): • To prohibit cell phone use by drivers while actively operating the bus • Safe driver plans, including which infractions disqualify a driver • Annual safety instructions/notice for parents and students… • Post-trip inspection for students left on bus

  22. Parent-Student Safety Instructions • Safety instructions must be provided annually, in writing, as required by Rule 6A-3.0121 • DOE’s “Are We There Yet?” brochure can be printed for parents and others • Available at http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7585/urlt/0085474-brochure.pdf link

  23. Charter Schools • Now 610 in Florida; 299K students, and continuing to grow (as of 2013-14 school year) • Districts must ensure charter schools are following laws and rules relating to health and safety • Currently revising Charter Schools Transportation Resource Guide

  24. National Congress on School Transportation, May 17-20, 2015 • Purpose is to update the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures • Florida’s delegation: Jim Beekman, Richard Duckworth, Jay McInnis, Pat Snell, David Solomon, Don Carter, and Ronnie McCallister • Additional info at www.NCSTOnline.org

  25. www.FloridaSchoolBusSafety.gov

  26. 2015 NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY POSTER CONTEST • Who May Enter: Any student enrolled in a public, parochial or other private elementary or middle school (plus High school for Divisions 4 and 5 only) in the United States of America, Canada or an overseas US military installation may submit artwork to the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest. • Poster Specifications: Completed poster size must be 11” x 17” or 12" x 18". Posters may be illustrated on the vertical or horizontal axis. • Every poster and slogan must harmonize with the 2015 poster contest theme: Bully Free Zone! • Contest Deadline: Posters must be received at NAPT Headquarters by October 1, 2015.

  27. State Poster Contest

  28. SESPTC Scholarships • SESPTC- Deadline is May 31; awarding one $2,500 scholarship for 2015 college expenses of one graduating high school senior; parent or legal guardian must have been an active Florida public school transportation employee meeting income criteria (max $75K AGI) for each of the past three tax years • For more info, contact ronnie.mccallister@fldoe.org

  29. Missing Children’s Issue • Florida’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse Advisory Board continues to coordinate efforts • Florida Missing Children’s Day event (fmcdf.org) was held September 8, 2014 at the Florida Capitol • FAPT is one of the event sponsors • An award presentation was made to Florida’s School Bus Operator of the Year, Ms. Daisy Robinson, of Escambia School District • This year’s FMCD is Sept. 14, 2015

  30. “Hot Topics” inYellowWorld • School (and bus) Safety and Security • Distracted Driving • Bullying Prevention on the Bus • FUNDING challenges, service cutbacks, threats to ridership, OLD buses • School Bus Operator Shortages • National Illegal Passing Survey Event

  31. FAPT Website and ListServe • www.FAPTFlorida.org • Calendar of Events • faptgroup@faptflorida.org- Use this address if you want to send email to all FAPT General Members • faptsuppliers@faptflorida.org- for FAPT Supplier Members

  32. Resources and Links: • www.flrules.org/default.asp • www.leg.state.fl.us • www.fldoe.org/transportation • www.FAPTFlorida.org • www.NASDPTS.org • www.AmericanSchoolBusCouncil.org

  33. Questions and Comments?www.fldoe.org/transportationronnie.mcallister@fldoe.org orSchtrans@fldoe.org

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