NASDPTS Stop Arm Study

School Transportation Unit

March 5, 2015
 

To: Local School District Transportation Directors

Subject: National School Bus Illegal Passing Survey

From: Colorado Department of Education, School Transportation Unit
 

While school buses remain incredibly safe, we all know that students who ride buses are most vulnerable when they are outside the bus in the “danger zone.” Colorado is assisting the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) in coordinating a national survey to determine the prevalence of illegal passing of school buses. That data will help improve safety countermeasures at the state or national level.

We are enlisting your assistance in this important project. On April 14, 2015, please have your district’s school bus operators observe and report any instances of motorists illegally passing their school buses, using the attached form.

Please instruct them to pay particular attention to the instructions and safety precautions. As always, their primary duty is to the safety of their students. Please have your drivers note the criteria at the bottom of the form to ensure they report only illegal passes that occur while the bus driver is stopped with red warning lights flashing and stop arm(s) deployed in full compliance with our state training and procedures. Different from previous years, this year’s count focuses exclusively on individual vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses, regardless of whether multiple vehicles pass at the same stop.

Please collect your district’s results and report them no later than May 1, 2015 as follows:

In the past, districts reported results to the School Transportation Unit for submittal to NASDPTS. This year, we are asking districts to report their data directly to the NASDPTS.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at:

Brian P. Vasina, 303-866-6655
Susan M. Miller, 303-866-6656

Thank you for your help with this important initiative.
 

Attachments:

• Illegal Passing Driver Reporting Form
• Illegal Passing Summary Tool (spreadsheet)