One reason identified in why school bus safety citations doubled
Marcus McIntosh
KCCI Anchor, Reporter
New data shows the number of buses flagged for repeated safety citations has nearly doubled since 2012.
New data show the number of buses flagged for repeated safety citations has nearly doubled since 2012.Watch this storyMore than two dozen citations in Albia were technically issued for the same violation. Turns out, it's not all that cut and dry.Albia schools Superintendent Kevin Crall gave an example of what could be cited during safety inspections of school buses."This is an example of a bus inspection citation … this scrape here," Crall said, pointing to a scrape on a bus's rear light. "Obviously it's not perfect and we replace it, but obviously we don't think this is going to be an unsafe thing for our passengers."Crall said normal wear and tear is to blame on a fleet of more than a dozen buses that travel about 171,000 miles a year transporting kids between school and home, 90 percent of which travel on gravel roads."Problems are going to occur. We are going to have bus inspection problems all the time because of the nature of what we do here," he said.As for recurring problems, Crall said an example is a loose seat on a bus. When the next inspection arrives, the same bus could have a different seat that is loose."I think that's actually the common finding. What I would say if you have a bus that is 10 years old, it's to be expected you will start seeing similar issues as that bus is wearing down," said Jeff Berger, deputy director of the State Department of Education.He said this may lead to the department refining data collection making it more specific. Despite that, Berger said citations issued after a bus inspection are usually addressed in a timely manner."The large majority of the districts, once we identify a problem, will want to know that and want to fix it," Berger said.Crall said in Albia the citations are often addressed the same day they are issued."Student safety is our number one priority our number one concern," he said.Berger said it is unheard of for a bus to go through an inspection and not have any issues.There are reports at three other districts where officials either tampered with records or falsely certified work that had not been when it wasn't.
ALBIA, Iowa —
New data show the number of buses flagged for repeated safety citations has nearly doubled since 2012.
Watch this story
Data: Iowa school buses flagged for safety issues
More than two dozen citations in Albia were technically issued for the same violation. Turns out, it's not all that cut and dry.
Albia schools Superintendent Kevin Crall gave an example of what could be cited during safety inspections of school buses.
"This is an example of a bus inspection citation … this scrape here," Crall said, pointing to a scrape on a bus's rear light. "Obviously it's not perfect and we replace it, but obviously we don't think this is going to be an unsafe thing for our passengers."
Crall said normal wear and tear is to blame on a fleet of more than a dozen buses that travel about 171,000 miles a year transporting kids between school and home, 90 percent of which travel on gravel roads.
"Problems are going to occur. We are going to have bus inspection problems all the time because of the nature of what we do here," he said.
As for recurring problems, Crall said an example is a loose seat on a bus. When the next inspection arrives, the same bus could have a different seat that is loose.
"I think that's actually the common finding. What I would say if you have a bus that is 10 years old, it's to be expected you will start seeing similar issues as that bus is wearing down," said Jeff Berger, deputy director of the State Department of Education.
He said this may lead to the department refining data collection making it more specific. Despite that, Berger said citations issued after a bus inspection are usually addressed in a timely manner.
"The large majority of the districts, once we identify a problem, will want to know that and want to fix it," Berger said.
Crall said in Albia the citations are often addressed the same day they are issued.
"Student safety is our number one priority our number one concern," he said.
Berger said it is unheard of for a bus to go through an inspection and not have any issues.
There are reports at three other districts where officials either tampered with records or falsely certified work that had not been when it wasn't.