(Family Features) Another school year means millions of children across the country are boarding buses at the beginning and end of each day, and it provides an appropriate opportunity for parents, teachers, school administrators and students themselves to practice and enforce safety guidelines in and around the school bus.
Consider these tips from the experts at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) to help keep children safe before bus rides, during travel and after exiting the vehicle.
Rethink Your Child’s Ride
While children and their parents can take many steps toward enhanced safety in and around buses, school districts also have unique opportunities to improve their transportation.
More than 900 school districts in 48 states across the country are operating propane-powered school buses rather than other fuels like diesel and gasoline. Alternative fuels, such as propane, offer multiple benefits for school districts and students alike because propane buses reduce harmful emissions, save money and create a safer ride for students riding school buses.
This school year, more than 1 million students will ride a propane school bus to school every day.
Parents and community leaders can engage their local school districts about the benefits propane buses provide:
Cleanliness
While diesel exhaust is classified by the World Health Organization as a carcinogen, propane buses don’t expose students to the same harmful emissions. Propane school bus engines lower greenhouse gas emissions to near-zero levels, which improves air quality and eliminates concerns about breathing-related health issues.
Cost Savings
With school budgets continually at risk of losing funding, parents and schools can think outside the box to target extra savings. Over the life of the vehicle, propane school buses cost less compared to other fuels for a variety of reasons, including lower fuel costs and more manageable maintenance. Those lower costs on oftentimes large expenses can instead be used to fund student-based programs.
Better for Students
Propane buses are also noticeably quieter than alternatives. Noise level and safety go hand-in-hand when considering that a quieter ride allows drivers to focus more on the road as student conversations are less likely to reach higher levels in an effort to be heard over engine noise. With less noisy distractions, drivers are able to hear what’s happening outside the bus – from horns and sirens to train whistles and more – and keep their riders safe. Additionally, the less distracting engine noise may allow drivers to more easily notice and address bullying behavior on the bus.
Explore the switch from diesel buses to cleaner alternatives by downloading resources available at BetterOurBuses.com, and consider starting a discussion with your children’s school district.
Visit BetterOurBuses.com for more school bus safety tips and information.
Main and bus driver photos courtesy of Getty Images