Message from Elisa Hanley, Pupil Transportation Branch Manager
Winter is almost behind us and spring is on its way, but you never know with Kentucky weather! I hope everyone was able to enjoy their holidays and got some much-needed rest.
We are as busy as ever here at the Kentucky Department of Education. We have the School Bus Specification Committee Meeting coming up on Feb. 27 to discuss changes. Each director has been emailed a link to watch the meeting.
I want to apologize to everyone regarding the delay in bus purchasing this year. There was an issue that was outside of our control, but we are working with the Finance Cabinet to hopefully resolve this for the upcoming year.
Welcome to all the new directors that have joined us in the new year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Kentucky Department of Education's Pupil Transportation Branch. Our staff is here to help you! There is no such thing as a dumb question. It is our job and our mission to provide you with the best service possible.
"You don’t know what you don’t know." - Socrates
Message from Joe Shepherd
The 2024 School Bus Driver Trainer Instructor Workshop schedule is now available online on KDE's 2024 Driver Training Instructor Workshop Schedule webpage. Register using the registration links for the selected class.
**Make sure to read the instructions carefully, as things have changed.**
- Only one candidate per school district will be allowed for the April class.
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The candidate's school district email address must be used to register.
- The directors email address shall not be used as a placeholder.
- If the candidate does not have a district specific email address, they will not be allowed to attend.
Lastly, the 2024 School Bus Driver Training Instructor 6-Hour Recertification Update schedule has been finalized. It is available on KDE's 2024 Driver Training Instructor 6-Hour Recertification Schedule webpage. Plan ahead and plan for emergencies as well. Do not wait until the last class to attend.
We are looking forward to seeing new faces this summer and talking with trainers and directors. Please let me know if you have any questions. You can reach me via email at joe.shepherd@education.ky.gov or via phone at (502) 564-5279, ext. 4411.
School Bus Inventory Update
We want to thank each school district for finalizing its school bus inventory report for the 2023-2024 school year. We truly appreciated your patience, as we were very busy this season with all of the requested changes.
Don't forget to review the procedure for the disposal of school buses. Per 702 KAR 5:030, Section 13:
"Before a district transfers title to a school bus to another party other than a Kentucky school district, the district shall:
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Remove all district identification from a board-owned school bus before transferring the title to the school bus to another party. A contract issued by the board to a school bus contractor shall contain a clause requiring the school bus contractor to remove all district identification lettering from the school bus when it is no longer under contract to the district; and
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Make the stop signal arm and the red flashing warning lights, strobe lights and crossing control arms inoperable by disconnection or removal."
Flood Water Reminder
As Kentuckians navigate the unpredictable nature of weather patterns, it is of utmost importance to emphasize exercising caution while driving through fast-moving water or floodwaters.
It is imperative to stay informed about weather forecasts and, under no circumstances, attempt to traverse floodwaters, even if pavement markings are visible. Hidden dangers, such as washed-out roads beneath the water's surface, pose serious risks. In the event you encounter challenging conditions, please do not hesitate to call for professional assistance.
Flooding is most likely to occur during prolonged periods of rain over several days or when intense rainfall, ice or debris jams cause rivers or streams to overflow. The primary catalyst for flooding is the accumulation of water from rain and/or snowmelt surpassing the capacity of soil to absorb it or rivers to carry it away.
Your safety remains our top priority, and we urge everyone to exercise prudence and diligence when confronted with adverse weather conditions. Together, we can ensure a secure and responsible approach to navigating these challenges.
Mentors Needed
Are you a seasoned Director who is willing to help guide other directors? Are you willing to attend training and be a resource? Your leadership and expertise are needed! Please register to become a transportation director mentor.
The Kentucky Department of Education will share your information with other directors that need assistance. You also will have a reserved space in meetings and trainings.
If you are willing to serve as a mentor or resource for new directors, Elisa Hanley or Joe Shepherd will contact you regarding the training classes. Thank you in advance for stepping up and making pupil transportation the best it can be!
Stop Arm Violation Survey
 While school buses remain incredibly safe, we all know that students are most vulnerable when they are outside the bus in the “danger zone.”
Each year, Kentucky participates in the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) national stop arm violation survey to document illegal passing of school buses. The data is used to help improve safety countermeasures at the state and national levels. We also share this information with legislators as we try to strengthen laws and regulations on illegal passing. This past year, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) reached out for our numbers and was going to do additional research. Due to your assistance in providing data, it saved them almost all of the back end work. He was able to move forward with the next phase.
KDE is asking for your continued assistance in gathering data for instances of motorists illegally passing school buses. School districts can put volunteers on as many buses as possible on each of their runs for the day and collect the total number of illegal pass-bys. This is just a one day data collection, but districts are more than welcome to do a week, but KDE only needs one day.
As soon as this data is tallied and verified, it will be shared with all Directors. The more districts that can participate helps show this is not just a rural or urban issue, it is a Kentucky issue. Thank you again for everything you do on a daily basis to keep our students safe!
National School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest
The centerpiece of the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) National School Bus Safety Week is the poster contest. Thousands of school districts in more than 40 states participate in local and state-level competitions to select artwork that depicts school bus safety-related themes and encourages and promotes school bus safety. The winning posters are used to promote safer school transportation for everyone.
2023–2024 Theme: “Driving Safely Into the Future”
Contestants must illustrate the theme “Driving Safely Into the Future.” The theme on the poster must be exactly as shown, to include all punctuation.
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