Bus stops for Mid-Buchanan’s 2013 Summer School will be posted here at Noon, Friday, May 31, 2013.  

Please check back here after that time to find your child’s bus time.  If you have further questions about your child’s bus time, you may call the transportion office for information at 816-238-1646 x248.

Today, the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted its annual school bus inspection at the Mid-Buchanan school.  Mid-Buchanan’s buses passed the inspection with a 100% rating.

Members of the Highway Patrol’s inspection team do a thorough inspection of each bus including the brakes, suspension, wheels, exhaust, lights, heaters, and fluid levels among several other things.  Buses that do not pass inspection can be placed out of service until repairs are accomplished and the vehicle is reinspected.  Not one bus was placed out of service.  Additionally, none of the buses received an advisory note indicating a smaller problem!

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website, in 2011 the approval rating state-wide was 87% and in 2o1o was 84%.

We take great pride in ensuring the safest transportation for your children and are proud of these results!!

In the past few weeks, our drivers have reported several incidents of drivers failing to stop for buses that are stopped on the roadway with their alternating red lights activated and stop signs deployed.  It is a Missouri law that all drivers are to stop for a stopped school bus that is loading/unloading.

Our drivers provide warning with amber lights on the bus that the bus is approaching a stop.  State law requires 500 feet of warning on our roadways and our drivers are consistent in providing ample warning.  If you are driving and see these lights, you should begin slowing down and be prepared to stop.

While the school bus is a safe means of transportation, the most dangerous part of the ride occurs outside the bus when students load and unload.  Drivers that are inattentive or in a hurry, ignoring the lights on a school bus,  place the lives of our children at risk.

Because we take seriously the safety of our students at the bus stop many of our buses are equipped with an exterior camera that records each violation.  The images record the license plate, vehicle and photo of the driver.  These photos are forwarded with a complaint to the Missouri State Highway Patrol for prosecution.   The penalties under Missouri law are described here.  We insist that drivers on our roadways are mindful of our most precious cargo.  Don’t take any risks!

Research repeatedly shows us that the yellow school bus is still the safest means of transportation for students to and from school.  Research also tells us that the most dangerous part of the bus ride does not occur when the child is on the bus.  The greatest danger is when the student is outside of the bus while loading and unloading.

Our drivers are trained to expect all students that must cross the road to cross only when the driver has given the signal to cross the road.  We have made great effort to instill this into each of our bus riders.  If you are parent, would you take the time to share the video linked below with your child and talk to them again about safely crossing the road?   Also, remind them that they must do this as a condition of riding the school bus.  This is for their safety!

Stop-arm runner barely misses boy – Video – School Bus Fleet.

Special thanks to Lisa Webster for the picture!

The first day of school is in the books and, from our perspective, went smoothly.    The phone in the transportation office only rang once this morning while the buses were out and that was from a parent living in an isolated part of our district courteously calling to let us know their student would not need a ride.

The transportation site has been updated.  If you check the link on this page to meet our drivers, you will find the correct information there now.  Our new drivers will have their biography’s and pictures added soon.

Thanks for your help in making the first day a great one!

Weather permitting, Bus Evacuation Drills will be held Monday, April 2, 2012 at the end of the morning routes.  Buses will be directed to the front and rear parking lots for their drills before unloading students.  Students should dress appropriately for the drills.  (Girls should avoid dresses and skirts that day)   Students riding buses may be 5-10 minutes later entering the building that morning.

Due to the rainy weather forecast for the rest of the week, bus evacuation drills scheduled for this week have been postponed.  Alternate dates will be announced.

It’s new and improved!  Like the school’s main page, ours has changed and we think it’s for the better.  All of the information on our old website is on this one (or will be soon) and some new features will be available such as a news feed on our front page.

News related to summer school, registration times, route changes and other information will be posted from time to time, so check back often!