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  • December 08, 2022 11:10 AM | Deleted user

    Please see the following recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

    NHTSA Recall ID Number: 22C007

    Synopsis: JD E-Commerce America Limited (JD E-Commerce) is recalling certain Marainbow Portable Infant Safe Seat child seats. The installation labels display incorrect instructions. The child seat's design also prohibits it from being installed properly. As such, these child seats fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 213, "Child Restraint Systems." An incorrect installation label may result in an improperly installed child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. No remedy has been established at this time. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact JD E-Commerce customer service at 1-946-932-0299.

  • November 18, 2022 3:00 PM | Deleted user

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) developed a Pupil Transportation Safety Program Management Course. As you all know, safety for students on and around the school bus is a growing concern of the public, communities, school districts, and parents. It is a specialized field that requires understanding of the laws, enforcement, school bus operations, data and problem identification, and partnering in your community.  This course is designed so that those involved in pupil transportation safety can gain the skills and knowledge to manage a successful and sustainable pupil transportation program.

    The course is offered in a virtual-live format and developed for state and regional highway safety professionals, injury prevention professionals, law enforcement, and all others interested in pupil transportation safety.

    The next course is scheduled for Wednesday, Jun 21, 2023, 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM CDT/11:00 AM - 3:30 PM EST. Please feel free to share this information and the attached flyer with your contacts! As always, the course is free, which is always the first question asked

    You can register here: https://tsi-dot.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/44c1ef15-0db8-4b83-a2aa-c2c4ae20ecfe. Just remember you have to be signed into TSI for the direct link to work.

  • November 15, 2022 11:40 AM | Deleted user

    On November 3, 2022, NASDPTS received the following recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) following their accident investigation of the October 27, 2020, collision between a service vehicle and a school bus in Decatur, Tennessee. Please review.  NTSB Recommendation 11.15.2022

  • November 02, 2022 11:35 AM | Deleted user

    FMCSA issued a correction to the NSTA Under-the-Hood Waiver Application Approval to correct the effective dates listed within the notice. The notice still provides a two-year waiver, but the dates were incorrectly listed in one place in the notice. The correction can be found here: 2022-23830.pdf (govinfo.gov).

  • October 27, 2022 7:42 AM | Deleted user

    The EPA Clean School Bus awards have been announced.  Click here for the list.  Congratulations to all!

  • October 27, 2022 7:33 AM | Deleted user

    Today the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its decision to grant the exemption requested by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) for commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants seeking a school bus endorsement, from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement, known as the ‘‘under-the-hood’’ testing requirement. Drivers issued a CDL pursuant to the requested exemption would be restricted to the intrastate operation of school buses only. FMCSA also granted an exemption from the requirement that states administer this portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection test in accordance with an FMCSA pre-approved examiner information manual. Under the notice, states may adopt the waiver but are not required to do so. The exemption is effective from November 27, 2022, through November 27, 2024.  Here is the notice:  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-10-27/pdf/2022-23346.pdf.

  • October 20, 2022 4:00 PM | Deleted user

    Jennifer Bruce, our Administrative & Member Services Director, has informed the NASDPTS Board of Directors that she will be retiring at the end of 2022.  Jennifer began working with us in 2019. 

    “It has been an utmost pleasure to have worked with both national and state school transportation associations for almost 30 years, culminating with NASDPTS”, Jennifer stated.  “NASDPTS encompasses ‘all things school transportation’ with its State Directors, public and private transportation professionals and supplier companies.  I am blessed to have been part of this remarkable family.  Thank you for working so hard, every day, getting our world’s most precious cargo to and from school, safely.”

    “Jennifer has been an amazing addition to NASDPTS, and she has helped the Association move forward in countless ways.  We will truly miss her enthusiasm and gumption, and appreciate all of her help to advance NASDPTS over the past four years.  We wish her the absolute best in retirement,” offered NASDPTS President, Pat McManamon.

    The position description for the NASDPTS Administrative and Member Services Director can be found by clicking here.

    NASDPTS will be accepting applications up until 5:00pm ET on Friday, November 11th.  Please be sure to include:  A Cover Letter, Resume and Three Professional References.  All applications will be reviewed, and you will be contacted with the next steps.

    Any questions, as well as all applications, should be sent to NASDPTS Executive Director, Ronna Weber, at execdir@nasdpts.org

  • October 12, 2022 11:00 AM | Deleted user

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a new national paid media campaign to run through the month of October to educate drivers about the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses.  The press release can be found here:  NHTSA Launches New School Bus Safety Campaign | NHTSA.

  • September 29, 2022 5:00 PM | Deleted user

    WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would nearly double the funding awarded for clean school buses this year following increased demand, with school districts from all 50 states applying for the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. This is the first round of funding from the EPA Clean School Bus Program, which President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created with a historic $5 billion investment for low- and zero-emission school buses over the next five years.

    In May, EPA had announced the availability of $500 million, but given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA is nearly doubling the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million.

    EPA will move swiftly to review applications submitted and expects to issue a robust slate of awards next month. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023.

    “Thanks to the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration and the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re working across all 50 states to accelerate the transition to a future where clean, zero-emissions school buses are the American standard,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “America’s school districts delivered this message loud and clear – we must replace older, dirty diesel school buses. Together, we can reduce climate pollution, improve air quality, and reduce the risk of health impacts like asthma for as many as 25 million children who ride the bus every day.”

    “Today’s announcement reflects what we know to be true—school districts across our country are eager to replace their heavy-polluting school buses with cleaner alternatives.” said Senator Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. “I’m especially pleased to see that there is high demand for electric buses among low income, tribal, and other disadvantaged communities. These are the very communities that stand to gain the most from our historic clean school bus investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Given the response to the availability of these dollars, it’s clear that more funding is needed. I look forward to working with Administrator Regan, the rest of the Biden Administration, and my colleagues in Congress to build on this progress so that more communities can realize the clean air and energy saving benefits of these cleaner vehicles.”

    “This is a huge win for our nation’s children and our fight against the climate crisis,” said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. “School districts across the country have long recognized the tremendous benefits of zero-emission electric school buses for protecting both our environment and our children’s health. With today’s announcement, I’m thrilled we are making significant progress toward safeguarding both. I encourage every school district to apply and look forward to seeing this important program in action.”

    The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country. EPA received around 2,000 applications requesting nearly $4 billion for over 12,000 buses. More than 90 percent of buses requested were for zero-emission electric buses. Nearly 9 percent of applications were for propane buses and 1 percent were for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

    The applicant pool includes submissions from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and federally recognized Tribes.

    The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. School districts can save money by upgrading their fleets.

    The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritizes low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 commitment, which aims to deliver 40% of benefits from certain federal programs to underserved or overburdened communities.

    EPA is currently reviewing submitted applications to determine eligibility and make final selections. EPA anticipates notifying rebate applicants of their selection status in October 2022. Once notified, selected school districts can proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. After the selectees submit the proper forms, they will be eligible to receive rebate funds.

    This is the first of several funding opportunities for the multi-year Clean School Bus Program. EPA anticipates running both a grant competition and another rebate program in 2023. The agency encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.

    The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides EPA with an unprecedented $5 billion opportunity to fund the replacement of older school buses with new zero- and low-emissions buses over a five-year period and jump-start the transition to zero emission in our schools. For more information, visit the EPA Clean School Bus Program website.

  • September 21, 2022 1:16 PM | Deleted user

    Effectiveness of Third-Party Testing and Minimal Standards for CDL Knowledge and Skills Tests: FMCSA is conducting a project titled ‘‘Effectiveness of Third-Party Testing and Minimum Standards for the CDL Knowledge and Skills Test’’, which will assess the effectiveness of the ELDT program, assess third-party training provider performance, and verify/ validate compliance with ELDT minimum standards. Comments are due by November 21, 2022. The Notice can be found here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-09-21/pdf/2022-20406.pdf.

    Electronic Logging Devices: FMCSA solicits public comment on ways to improve the clarity of current regulations on the use of electronic logging devices (ELD) and address certain concerns about the technical specifications raised by industry stakeholders. The Agency seeks comment in five specific areas in which the Agency is considering changes: applicability to pre-2000 engines; addressing ELD malfunctions; the process for removing ELD products from FMCSA’s list of certified devices; technical specifications; and ELD certification. Comments are due by November 15, 2022. The Notice can be found here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-09-16/pdf/2022-20095.pdf.

    Qualification of Drivers: Medical Examiner’s Handbook and Medical Advisory Criteria Proposed Regulatory Guidance: FMCSA extends the comment period for its August 16, 2022, notice of proposed regulatory guidance relating to the draft Medical Examiner’s Handbook (MEH), which includes updates to the Medical Advisory Criteria published in the United States Code of Federal Regulations. Comments are now due by October 31, 2022. The original notice can be found here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-08-16/pdf/2022-17592.pdf.


Contact Us:

NASDPTS
PO Box 5604 (5877 Washington Boulevard)
Arlington, VA  22205

Ronna Weber
Executive Director

ExecDir@nasdpts.org
(703) 203-6485

Tammy Mortier
Member Services Director
AdminServices@nasdpts.org
(518) 620-8601

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