Transcript Transportation Topics

The Big Picture:
Legislative, State, and National Issues
Presented to 61st FAPT Annual Conference
July 8, 2008
Charlie Hood, Director, School Transportation
Florida Department of Education
Legislation 2008--Failed
• SB 1662- Diana Kautz Student Safety
Sponsors Act, sponsored installation of 3point belts
• HB 1351 and others- Proximity of sexual
offenders to bus stops
• SB 1216, HB 319- Hazardous walking
extended to Grades 7-12, speed limit lowered,
six lane roads, proximity of sexual offenders
Legislation 2008--Failed
• SB 316, others- Biodiesel and Ethanol Fuels,
required increasing purchases of biofuels and
ethanol over next three years
• HB 767- Claims bill for death of Jean A.
Pierre Kamel (Palm Beach)
• SB 1112, HB 1121- Protection of students en
route to and from school in code of conduct
Legislation 2008--Passed
• Appropriations for 2008-09 is $471,068,862 (4%
below original 2007-08 amount)
• Governor has directed agencies budget 4% less than
2008-09 legislative budget; DOE suggested districts
reduce FEFP by 2%.
• CS/HB 13C- Passed in Special Session D, October
2007, reinstating no-fault PIP insurance that had
sunsetted on October 1, 2007. Effective Jan. 1, 2008
• HB 503- Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Motor
Vehicle; school and bus prohibitions in Section
790.115 are retained
Legislation 2008--Passed
• HB 623- School Breakfast Programs, required
breakfast at certain schools may include “breakfast
on the bus;” option for breakfast in class when bus is
late
• HB 669- Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students
Act- anti-bullying provisions (incl. bus), requires
DOE model policy; district policies must comply to
receive Safe Schools funds (2009-10)
Legislation 2008--Passed
• SB 1070- Intergovernmental Cooperationprovides that districts and others may agree to
use each others’ buses, facilities, and
equipment if reimbursed; school buses may
be used for “other public purposes”
• HB 1175- Transportation Disadvantaged
Services- eliminates semi-annual reports of
bus availability to CTCs
Legislation 2008--Passed
• SB 1992- Highway Safety Bill- requires
warnings on signs about increased fines for
speeding in school zones; specifies certain
serious offenses that disqualify commercial
drivers if committed in personal vehicles
• HB 7135- Energy Bill, Numerous provisions
relating to state energy policy and
conservation
DEP Idling Rulemaking
• FAPT Statutes/Rules Committee provided
valuable input
• ERC adopted rule June 19th; Rule 62-285.420
available at www.flrules.org
• Limits idling to 5 minutes, except in traffic,
for health needs (A/C) and certain other
exemptions
Federal Rulemaking
• NHTSA NPRM- Passenger crash protection
• FTA Proposed Policy Statement and Tripper Service
Regulation (FTA 2008-0015)
• FMCSA NPRM- Pre-service training of interstate
drivers (FMCSA-2007-27748)
• USDOE- Changes to FERPA confidentiality rules
• NASDPTS commented on all of the above
Legislation, Statutes, and Rules
• www.leg.state.fl.us (Florida legislative bills
and statutes)
• www.flrules.org (Florida rules and statutes)
• www.regulations.gov (federal rulemaking—
dockets and public comments)
Parent-Student Safety Instructions
• Safety instructions must be provided
annually, in writing, as required by Rule 6A3.0121
• DOE’s “Are We There Yet?” brochure can be
printed for parents and others
• Available at www.FAPTFlorida.org, under the
Manuals and Publications link
Illegal Passing
• FDOT and FDOE met to discuss potential
countermeasures
• FAPT, law enforcement, others need to be
involved
• Consider changes to s. 316.172?
• Remains a well documented problem…
FAPT Website and ListServe
• www.FAPTFlorida.org
• Calendar of Events
• [email protected] Use this address if
you want to send email to all FAPT General
Members
• faptsuppliers@faptflorida- for FAPT Supplier
Members
NHTSA Rulemaking on Occupant
Protection
• Docket and all comments at:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=
NHTSA-2007-0014
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for
new buses only, phased in, would:
• Require high back seats in all buses (already
required in Florida)
• Require lap/shoulder belts in small buses (already
required in Florida)
NHTSA NPRM would:
• Require automatic seat bottom latching devices
• Establish test standards and protocols for lap and
lap/shoulder (L/S) belts in small and large buses
• Require 15 inches of seat width per passenger in L/S
belt equipped buses
• Continue to allow lap belts in states that choose
• Encourage (not require) states to use L/S belts
• Reaffirm that states may use 402 funds for costs
Fatalities Reported as “Bus Related”
• Orlando Sentinel report: Bus-crash Deaths
May Extend Record
• Based on FARS data confirming deaths of
occupants in other vehicles
• 2005 there were 9; 2006 there were 19
• 2007-08: one pedestrian student; 14 in other
vehicles
Crash Reporting
• DOE is redesigning some summary reports to
provide better analysis and info
• New reporting threshold is $1,000 (2007-08)
• DOE and districts working to reconcile
district-reported numbers (DOE system) with
police reports (DHSMV system)
FATAL Crash Reporting
• Districts must provide immediate notice of
any fatal crash to FDOE as soon as practical
• Report by phone call and/or e-mail
• Helps district and FDOE answer immediate
questions from administrators, media
• Info is always treated as preliminary
• Not meant as substitute for regular FDOE and
police crash reporting
Okaloosa Crash
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No life-threatening injuries
Bus on elementary field trip rolled on I-10
14 3rd graders, four adults
Bus rolled into median
All students wearing lap belts and received
pre-trip safety instructions
• NTSB investigated; results pending
Public Transit
• Permitted form of student transportation in Florida
• Feds allow “tripper service” (special routes for
schools must be open to public; may not have
special signage; published routes)
• US District Court has ruled against FTA and is
allowing Rochester transit to serve students
• NASDPTS has submitted comments supporting FTA
regulations limiting use of public transit
Hazardous Walking
• Districts must now include location code on
each student record if reported in Hazardous
category
• Districts must update their inspections and
documentation (determinations of HW
locations) each five years
• DOE is reconciling data following surveys
Charter Schools
• Now 358 in Florida; continuing to grow
• May now be sponsored by Florida Schools of
Excellence Commission (2006 HB 135)
• Only 3 districts upheld in retaining sole
sponsorship of their charter schools
• DOE revising its model agreement
• Districts must monitor charter school
compliance
Driver Compliance and Liability
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Seat belt use
Cell phone prohibition
Idling restriction
Unauthorized stop locations
Mirror adjustment
Others???
Transportation Security
• School Bus Watch- 1,758 Florida drivers;
49,151 nationally to date
• School Transportation Security Awareness
(www.STSATrain.com)
• HR1- Requires TSA to conduct security
assessments in student trans and report to
Congress this summer
School Bus Evacuation
• NHTSA has developed new driver inservice
module on bus evacuation
• State Board rule requires evac instructions for
all passengers before every field and activity
trip
• Evacuation procedures continue to be priority
for all students, including ESE
• NTSB recommendations support as priority
Nat’l Congress on School
Transportation (NCST)
• Gearing up for 2010
• New interim amendments procedure in place
• Committee chairs were selected in March
2008
• Volunteers being sought to serve on
committees
• Document and info at www.NCSTOnline.org
National Associations
• www.AmericanSchoolBusCouncil.org-ASBC coordinates public information from
NASDPTS, NAPT, NSTA, and the big three
school bus manufacturers; e.g., positions on
cell phone usage and other guidance
• www.NASDPTS.org
• www.NAPT.org
• www.yellowbuses.org (NSTA)
Awards and Scholarships
• SESPTC- Awarding two $1,000 scholarships
again this year for college expenses of two
graduating high school seniors in Okeechobee
and DeSoto
• School Bus Operator of the Year- Florida
Missing Children’s Day, Sept. 8, 2008
Our Office (DOE STMS)
• Started 07-08 with 9 professionals, 2 support
• One professional position eliminated; one
support position transferred
• Working to fill vacant fleet position
• Will have 8 professionals, one support
• Reevaluating/prioritizing office functions
• Core services will remain. Stay tuned…
Questions and Comments?
www.fldoe.org/transportation
[email protected] or
[email protected]