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Are school busses a good idea?

Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
edited September 2012 in General Discussion
They've been debating it in my state. Personally, I'd like to see the system replaced with a privately owned one, but that is probably just me.
Some will die in hot pursuit
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain

Comments

  • River RatRiver Rat Member Posts: 9,022
    edited November -1
    WA doesn't have schoolbusses? I thought all states had them, since the 60s.

    And no, I don't think they're a good idea. I think we had better schools when every neighborhood and district had a school kids could walk to.
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by River Rat
    WA doesn't have schoolbusses? I thought all states had them, since the 60s.

    And no, I don't think they're a good idea. I think we had better schools when every neighborhood and district had a school kids could walk to.
    Yes, we have them. The debate is whether to get rid of them in some areas and make the kids take public transit (already happened in some places last year, much to the chagrin of the city transit systems).
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    Another alternative that is proposed is to make parents bring the kids in.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 13,735 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In two counties near my home, the school district has taken back responsibility for the busses from private contractors. I'm not sure of the justification in one county but the reason in the other was employee integrity. A driver was convicted of "fondling" two of the riders and later determined to have previously been a known child abuser. The contractor failed to conduct a thorough background check and the school terminated his contract.
  • 11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by River Rat
    WA doesn't have schoolbusses? I thought all states had them, since the 60s.

    And no, I don't think they're a good idea. I think we had better schools when every neighborhood and district had a school kids could walk to.
    Yes, we have them. The debate is whether to get rid of them in some areas and make the kids take public transit (already happened in some places last year, much to the chagrin of the city transit systems).



    I don't at all like the idea of kids having to ride public transportation to get to school. At least on a school bus, there is a greater chance that you can control who does and doesn't get on the bus (i.e., child predators).
  • cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,401 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In the '50's, I walked. Most everyone did. 1-2 miles - so what. No wonder I never got fat! Public transportation is fine for gradeschool kids - just not in this country. I was blown away while in Austria about 7 years ago, visitig a pal from work, 20 6-10 year-olds got on to go home for lunch. They get about 1 1/2 hours. Not a big deal. Nobody gets kidnapped. Try that in Indy!
    It's too late for me, save yourself.
  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,724 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    maybe buying school buses from china would be a savings...
  • mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November -1
    When I was a kid attending elementary school (we are talking the 1960s) if your home was 3 miles or more from the school you rode the bus. In junior high (middle school) the distance was raised to five miles so I started riding a bicycle. Eventually ALL buses were discontinued and a new problem popped up: Massive traffic congestion around the school. Instead of the several yellow buses; each dropping off 40 kids, you now had hundreds parents driving their kid to school and causing the two main streets around the school to be absolutely paralyzed twice a day (at school opening and school closing). The traffic was so bad that even those of us riding bicycles had a hard time just approaching the school! The problem was never corrected and as far as I know it continues to this day. Whatever other faults they ahve, buses move a lot of brats around with a minimum disruption of the area around the school.
  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    School buses have no seat belts just keep that in mind when thinking child safety.
  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,722
    edited November -1
    sooo who here rode the short bus..fess up[}:)]
  • shootuadealshootuadeal Member Posts: 5,231 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by armilite
    School buses have no seat belts just keep that in mind when thinking child safety.


    No longer true. 10 years ago, yes it was true. About ten buses running in my community and I think there are two or three without seatbelts yet but they are currently switching over. My kid happens to be on one of the buses not equipped with seatbelts but if I were a betting man I would say next year all will have them.

    At least here where I live anyway. It doesn't bother me either way but I remember reading in the paper awhile back and the school district is planning to have belts on all buses in the very near future, they just can't afford to sell off their entire fleet and upgrade at once so they just do 1-3 a year.
  • MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
    edited November -1
    There is way more damage done to our children while those buses are parked from about 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shootuadeal
    quote:Originally posted by armilite
    School buses have no seat belts just keep that in mind when thinking child safety.


    No longer true. 10 years ago, yes it was true. About ten buses running in my community and I think there are two or three without seatbelts yet but they are currently switching over. My kid happens to be on one of the buses not equipped with seatbelts but if I were a betting man I would say next year all will have them.

    At least here where I live anyway. It doesn't bother me either way but I remember reading in the paper awhile back and the school district is planning to have belts on all buses in the very near future, they just can't afford to sell off their entire fleet and upgrade at once so they just do 1-3 a year.



    Not here they still don't have them and 70% of the cities kids ride buses. Very few kids go to their neighborhood schools, we still have the forced busing thing going on here.
  • Waco WaltzWaco Waltz Member Posts: 10,828 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fordsix
    sooo who here rode the short bus..fess up[}:)]


    In 12th grade classes got out early one day a week so the short buss was all that was running :)
  • swopjanswopjan Member Posts: 3,292
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by armilite
    School buses have no seat belts just keep that in mind when thinking child safety.


    I'm not saying you're wrong, but I also can't think of a single news report where children or anyone riding a bus was injured because they were seated and unbelted. The children on a school bus are probably safer than city buses packed with standing occupants regardless of belts. Can you provide an article or better yet numbers of reported accidents and injuries?
  • A J ChristA J Christ Member Posts: 7,534
    edited November -1
    Think that we really do need to rethink the school bus systems as it now works. See big buses running almost empty, stopping every 30 yards on a main highway holding up a mile's worth of traffic. Kids misbehaving on the bus, have been flashed by young girls, kids throwing objects out of windows trying to hit passing vehicles, seen fights going on, a lot of inappropriate behavior.

    Having parents bring them in is not a good solution either, try driving by a school when that is going on, too many people doing that right now. Results in big buses running nearly empty and greatly contributing to traffic.

    Pedophiles? Our method of dealing with them is one of the reasons why we have them. Change that by removing them from society instead of treating them like a victim and that problem will be greatly reduced.

    Look to other countries methods and see if there's anything there workable or useable for us. Others have solved this before.
  • bartobarto Member Posts: 4,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The nearest town to me contracts out the school transportation.
    Presently transportation is provided by some Canadian company (has been for 10+ years.)
    [V]barto[V]
  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by swopjan
    quote:Originally posted by armilite
    School buses have no seat belts just keep that in mind when thinking child safety.


    I'm not saying you're wrong, but I also can't think of a single news report where children or anyone riding a bus was injured because they were seated and unbelted. The children on a school bus are probably safer than city buses packed with standing occupants regardless of belts. Can you provide an article or better yet numbers of reported accidents and injuries?



    No I can't be specific but when the school year starts just about every other day on the local news there's a school bus involved in some accident in town here. Most of the people driving them are people that can't get a job anywhere else. Some times the local newspaper does a story and do some digging. Back ground checks on the drivers come up showing felons or drivers with suspended licenses. Many could be people of WalMart. I don't want these people driving my kids anywhere. The good thing is all my children are no longer of school age. There are at least 1,000 of them here in town roaming the streets. I'm sure I'm on the low side here. Last I heard they bus 90,000 kids a day. No there haven't been any fatalities that I can recall but a lot of minor injuries. It may be different if you live out in the boonies but here they are a real pain in the *.
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