School Bus Fleet Safety Starts with Driver Monitoring
When it comes to school transportation, there is no room for shortcuts. School buses carry the most precious cargo of all: our children. That’s why creating a strong foundation for safety across school bus fleet management is non-negotiable.
The Challenges in Today’s School Bus Fleet Management
Many school districts still manage driver qualification and compliance using manual processes—paper files, spreadsheets, email reminders, and one-off audits. While this may have worked in the past, it creates serious gaps in visibility, safety and accountability.
- Overlooked expired medical certificates or endorsements
- Delayed responses to license suspensions or violations
- Difficulty retrieving records during audits or inspections
- Inconsistent documentation across schools or departments
These challenges not only increase administrative workload, but also raise the risk of non-compliance—and in turn, the safety risk to students and liability for the district.
What the Data Says About School Bus Incidents
School buses are among the safest forms of transportation, but that doesn’t mean the risks are zero. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- From 2012 to 2021, 1,110 people were killed in school transportation-related crashes—an average of 111 deaths per year.
- Every year, approximately 13,000 people are injured in crashes involving school buses.
- Only eight states require large school buses to have seat belts.
On May 17, 2018, a school bus in Mount Olive, NJ, carrying 44 people attempted an illegal U-turn and was hit by a dump truck. The crash tragically took the lives of a 10-year-old and her teacher, and injured 42 others. The driver had a history of 14 license suspensions, raising serious questions about monitoring and hiring practices.
Who’s Really Behind the Wheel?
School districts and bus contractors are required by the FMCSA to check their employees’ driving records only once a year. On paper, this meets compliance, but in practice, it leaves districts blind to risks that can emerge any day.
A lot can happen in twelve months. In a single year, a driver could be charged with DUI, have their CDL suspended, or let their medical certificate expire, all without the district knowing. And during that time, that driver may continue transporting students.
“You can have a background check on a Monday, pass it. On Tuesday, get a DUI and the only requirement is self-reporting,” said Rep. Gotteheimer, who introduced the Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act, which would require real-time CDL alerts to schools. The bill has not yet passed.
Driver monitoring is one of the most critical components of a safe and compliant school transportation program. It ensures that every bus driver has a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL), a current medical certificate, and a clean driving record, not just at the time of hiring, but continuously. Without real-time monitoring, school districts risk unknowingly allowing disqualified or high-risk drivers behind the wheel.
The key difference between annual checks and continuous driver monitoring is timing. With near real-time alerts, school districts are notified the moment a driver’s record changes, allowing them to take immediate action and remove unqualified drivers before they pose a serious risk.
Raising the Bar for School Bus Safety
The future of school transportation is about more than just getting students to and from school. It’s about leveraging technology to make ride as safe as possible.
Technology is helping districts move away from manual processes and visibility gaps. With safety solutions, schools can track safety in real time, stay on top of compliance, and make faster, smarter decisions. Districts using available safety tools are setting a higher standard. They’re cutting risks, running more smoothly, and doing what matters most, protecting the students they’re entrusted to transport every day.
*We are not lawyers. Consult with your legal counsel to ensure your processes and procedures meet/ or exceed safety standards and compliance regulations. Please read our legal disclaimer.
