School Bus Industry Asks: ‘Where Would You Be Without the Bus?’

    Parents Agree: School Bus Transportation is a Vital Link to Quality

                                 Education



    WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 /EMWNews/ -- Eighty seven percent (87%) of

parents in the United States agree that the school bus is the only reliable

form of transportation for many students and without it, the ability of all

students to access the education system is limited, according to a new

study conducted by the American School Bus Council (ASBC).



    As the school bells get set to ring at the start of another school

year, the ASBC estimates that each day more than 475,000 school buses will

safely carry more than 25 million children, which represents just more than

half the school age population, without any serious incident. Among the

findings of the study was that 70 percent of parents see the school bus

transportation system as a great convenience, while 64 percent of parents

believe that the school bus is a very important part of the education

system.



    As a result, the ASBC is urging parents to have their kids "Get on the

Bus" this school year. In fact, by encouraging their children to get on the

bus parents can not only rest assured that their child will arrive at

school safely and ready to learn, but will also take comfort in knowing

that in doing so they can reduce their individual carbon footprint and

lower their monthly fuel bill.



    "If school buses were not available each and every day, millions of

children would be left without a way to get to school," said Barry Stock,

president of the National School Transportation Association and member of

ASBC. "While parents and students prepare for another school year, we hope

they will take advantage of the safest and most environmentally-friendly

way to get to school."



    As fuel costs continue to impact school districts and family budgets,

the ASBC also found more than two-thirds (69%) of parents agree that is it

more beneficial for their children to ride the bus to school in order to

save money on the rising cost of gas. In addition, more than half of all

parents strongly disagree with cutting bus stops (50%) or bus service (57%)

as a means for school districts to offset the dramatic increase in the cost

of fuel.



    New diesel engine standards make today's buses 98 percent less

polluting than buses manufactured just two decades ago. In addition,

thousands of older buses have been modified to use high tech filters and

catalysts to reduce emissions by up 90 percent. The ASBC estimates a

teenager living 5 miles from school and driving a 2008 Honda Civic can

reduce her carbon footprint dramatically -- from 1.27 tons of CO2 by

driving to school to 0.12 tons by taking the bus (less than one-tenth as

much).



    "Riding the school bus to school is a win-win situation for both

parents and the environment," said Bill Tousley, supervisor of

transportation for the Farmington (MI) Public Schools, president of the

National Association of Pupil Transportation, and member of ASBC. "A school

bus is the most cost-effective solution you can find to save energy, reduce

pollution and control congestion."



    In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Department of

Transportation and other authorities agreed that school buses are the

safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school.

According to the Transportation Research Board, part of the National

Academy of Sciences, a child is 13 times safer in a school bus than in

other modes of travel. ("The Relative Risks of School Travel," 2002.)

    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 25

million schoolchildren who ride more than 475,000 school buses each day.



    The Council's members include NAPT (http://www.napt.org) (National

Association for Pupil Transportation), NASDPTS (http://www.nasdpts.org)

(National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services),

NSTA (http://www.yellowbuses.org) (National School Transportation

Association), Blue Bird Corp. (http://www.blue-bird.com) of Fort Valley,

Ga., IC Corporation (http://www.ic-corp.com/portal/site/ICCorp) of

Warrenville, Ill., and Thomas Built Buses (http://www.thomasbus.com) of

High Point, N.C.



    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

http://www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org.