90% of MI school buses pass safety check

Ninety percent of school buses in Michigan passed safety inspections last school year, the Michigan State Police reported Wednesday.

[Firefighters_wif e]

Well at least there is something good on the news lately. Its is wonderful that 90% passed, it is reassuring to know that our children are safe on there way to and from school and extracuricular activities.

[yepper]

Click on the link next to the story for a list of schools. I was happy to learn that all of the buses at my kid's school passed but some were pretty scary.

[Wow]

Maybe the mechanics who take care of our buses should be 'promoted' to teachers and take the place of the crying GRPS teachers. At least the mechanics and their fleet of buses have a proven record. Where's your record GRPS teachers!???

[Randall]

Bus drivers and mechanics are the unsung heroes in our kids' education. The skills they possess are priceless. Thanks to all of you!!

[Worried]

If the state police are supposed to check these buses annually why are there ones that have 0's by them on the list site? My school district being one of them. My husband has complained several times about a light being out or a signal not working, and the bus garage supervisor always has the same answer "We check every bus before it leaves and when it comes back"....(no true if a light is not working)...Congrats to the other 90 % that passed...we need to keep our kids safe

[Skoolie]

If you see a bus with a problem going uncorrected, report it to the police.

Also, the mechanics and ones in charge of buses aren't always so great. Often times they buy considerably inferior buses that cost far more in replacement parts for the district to repair, simply because it is what they are more comfortable working on. This translates in to your child riding a significantly less safe bus to school.

Have you heard about the C2 that hit a pick-up truck on the side of the road and the entire body was ripped off and sent the kids flying off the freeway, and killed the driver? Scary stuff.

[Ronnie]

Nice to see the state police are inspecting school busses, while the local and county police are out doing the real poice work.

[Hurley35]

Ronnie wrote:

Nice to see the state police are inspecting school busses, while the local and county police are out doing the real poice work.

There's always someone who hates anything the cops do. Read the story... "State law requires the state police to inspect each school bus annually."

[Ronnie]

Hurley35 wrote:

<quoted text>There's always someone who hates anything the cops do. Read the story... "State law requires the state police to inspect each school bus annually."

Yes, you're right, shame on me. State law apparently doesn't require they do "real" police work, and that's probably why they do so little of it.

[Hurley35]

Ronnie wrote:

<quoted text>Yes, you're right, shame on me. State law apparently doesn't require they do "real" police work, and that's probably why they do so little of it.

You must have a "thing" about the police. It's the State police who get called in for the real nasty crimes like stand-offs, shootings (in their jurisdiction) and kidnappings etc. I would guess that if you tried being a State Trooper on the east side of the state (where the new ones are all assigned to get "experience". After a couple of years over their anything they run into is pretty tame) You might change your tune. I know I couldn't do their job. My hats off to all of our law enforcement people.

[pjdutchville]

That's where my uncle retired from...the State Police. He began his career in Ypsilanti, worked the Detroit riots in the late 60's, and was finallt reassigned to Grand Haven where he finished his career. Hats off indeed, to all law enforcement. They have a very tough job, that few are cut out for. His stories of the old days in Detroit, Jackson, etc. are incredible.

[holyjo]

I believe it is the Motor Cariers Division of the Michigan State Police. They are assigned to many duties, school bus inspection just happens to be one of them. They are experts and provide a great service.

[whiner]

Anybody can get a 90% rate if you know when the inspectors are coming.

[Tom]

Firefighters_wife wrote:

Well at least there is something good on the news lately. Its is wonderful that 90% passed, it is reassuring to know that our children are safe on there way to and from school and extracuricular activities.

I'm in the vehicle service industry. In general you can figure that the second most unsafe vehicles on the road are school buses.

First by a mile are church buses. We have 5 kids and tried to keep them out of those death traps anytime we could. Most churches are cheap on many issues, but none more than the used school buses and vans that they buy. They typically only authorize any type of money for repair when they are broken down out of state...then just the minimum to make them move again. Preventive maintenance is not even on their radar screen in most cases.

Unless you can get access to accurate and thorough service records, never let your kids ride anywhere in a church bus or van.

[Mike in Michigan]

Skoolie wrote:

Have you heard about the C2 that hit a pick-up truck on the side of the road and the entire body was ripped off and sent the kids flying off the freeway, and killed the driver? Scary stuff.

That is ABSOLUTELY untrue! I know the accident you are speaking of. The driver was NOT killed and there were NO kids on the bus. It was a new bus being delivered from the factory by a delivery company. Yes, the body did tear from the chassis, but the utility truck (not an ordinary pickup) was stationary and the bus was moving 80 mph...a lot of damage will occur to any vehicle in that situation. Let me emphasize...it was a delivery company operating the bus and NOT a professional school bus driver.

The C2 is one of the more expensive buses on the market and uses technologies that Thomas's tests have proven to be safer. The joints on that bus hold up to nearly twice that required by federal standards.

Stop exaggerating in order to sensationalize. Shame on you for trying to further marginalize the school bus industry when it is actually the safest form of surface transportation!

[Mike in Michigan]

Tom wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm in the vehicle service industry. In general you can figure that the second most unsafe vehicles on the road are school buses.
First by a mile are church buses. We have 5 kids and tried to keep them out of those death traps anytime we could. Most churches are cheap on many issues, but none more than the used school buses and vans that they buy. They typically only authorize any type of money for repair when they are broken down out of state...then just the minimum to make them move again. Preventive maintenance is not even on their radar screen in most cases.
Unless you can get access to accurate and thorough service records, never let your kids ride anywhere in a church bus or van.

Church buses can be safe if you know the church and know how they are maintained. But that's up to you of course. There certainly are poorly maintained church buses out there.

As for true school buses, according to the NHTSA they are 172 times safer than your every day car and their safety record is unmatched by any other form of surface transportation. You're putting your kids at risk if you're deliberately taking them off of school buses or advocating anyone to do so. 800 kids are killed every year to and from school in other forms of transportation. Around than 10 are killed using school buses, and the majority of those deaths occur outside the bus. Those that occur inside the bus are often very catastrophic accidents that involve large vehicles or drops.

[Over 50]

Sorry . . . 90% is not acceptable . . . no excuse for anything less than 100% . . . people are being paid to maintain these things . . . fire the 10% that are not doing their job . . .