School Bus Route Hazards

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School Bus Route Hazards

• Derek Graham
• State Director, North Carolina

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Fox River Grove, IL
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Fox River Grove, IL
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Fox River Grove, IL

• U.S. DOT, Office of the
• Secretary
• Grade Crossing Task Force
• Conclusion Work with
• NASDPTS to Identify Route
• Hazards Educate Industry

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Fox River Grove, IL

• National Transportation
• Safety Board
• In-Depth Investigation
• Conclusion Inadequate
• Route Hazard Identification
• Information Available

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Recommendations

• Advise drivers of the circumstances of this
  accident and provide guidance about vehicle
  positioning, especially at railroad/highway grade
  crossings
• Develop guidelines for the appropriate placement
  of radio speakers disable speakers adjacent to
  the drivers head.

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Recommendations

• Implement a program for identification of school
  bus route hazards and routinely monitor and
  evaluate all regular and substitute school bus
  drivers.
• Consider railroad/highway grade crossing crash
  histories or characteristics when establishing
  bus routes.

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Grant from NHTSA

• Research the Issue
• Develop Guidelines
• Disseminate to School Transportation
  Community

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NASDPTS Study

• First Issue
• Define School Bus Route Hazard
• Driving ?
• Loading Zone ?
• Fixed ?
• Without Warning ?

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NASDPTS Study

• Types of Hazards Included
• Driving -- Everything but Loading Zone
• Fixed -- None that occur without warning
• Not an All-Inclusive list

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NASDPTS Study

• Approach
• Review existing materials
• Develop a recommended system
• Review input from State Directors

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Fixed Route Hazard Dangerous Intersections
Roadways

• High Crash Locations
• Visibility Obstructions
• Peculiar Roadway Features

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Blind Curve and Railroad Crossing
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Fixed Route Hazard Bridges, Tunnels, Underpasses
Overpasses

• Weight Capacity
• Clearance
• Lane Width

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BRIDGE OUT!!
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Fixed Route Hazard Industrial Intersections
Construction Zones

• Heavy Vehicles on Roadway
• Signage
• Traffic Controls

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Road Closed
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Fixed Route Hazard Steep Downgrades

• Signs for Downgrade
• Check Brakes Signs
• Run-off Areas

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Fixed Route HazardAreas of Significant Vehicle
Speed Differential

• Sufficient Room for Acceleration
• Farm Equipment or Non-motorized
• Mountainous Terrain

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Fixed Route Hazard Pedestrian Areas

• Difficult Visibility
• Narrow Streets with Parked Vehicles
• Heavy Pedestrian Congestion

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Blind Curve
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Fixed Route Hazard Other Conditions Identified
in Local Area

• Unique Roadway
• Visibility Problems
• Emergency Vehicle Options

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Fixed Route Hazard Queuing/Storage Areas

• Acceleration/Deceleration Areas
• Median Area
• Turning Lane

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Fixed Route HazardRailroad Grade Crossing

• Signs Controls
• Visibility
• Storage Space
• Roadway Design Features

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Raleigh, North Carolina
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Raleigh, North Carolina
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This regular length bus cannot clear the tracks
when stopped in the queing area before the white
line.
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Fixed Route Hazard Identification System

• Identification
• Established, systematic process
• Information
• Disseminate to all personnel
• Training Common Sense
• Essential to success

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One More ThingRemember to
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Expect the Unexpected
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NASDPTS REPORT

• Route Hazards Report
• January 1999
• DOT HS 808 836
• WWW.NASDPTS.ORG
• publications

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NORTH CAROLINA RESP0NSE TO ROUTE HAZARD
RECOMMENDATONS
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NC Railroad Crossing Statistics

• There are 5,000 public crossings in North
  Carolina, an average 1.5 crossings per mile, not
  counting 5,000 private crossings.
• North Carolina ranks fourth in the nation for the
  total number of crossings per mile.

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North Carolina School Transportation Statistics

• 13,000 School Buses
• 700,000 Students Transported Daily
• 150,000,000 miles traveled per year

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Transportation Information Management System
(TIMS)
Statewide program of Computer-Assisted School Bus
Routing and Scheduling Began in 1986, mandatory
in 1992
Uses software from Education Logistics
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The TIMS Customized Route Hazard Program
Initiated as a result of Fox River Grove
Recommendations Written warning statement that
is available to all drivers. Examples Railroad
Crossings - single and multi-tracks,
insufficient queing areas, Narrow bridges
Blind curves.

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How does this program benefit School
Transportation ?
The number one benefit is to the school bus
driver. They can easily see the hazard warning
statements printed on their bus route before they
proceed on their route.
The customized warning feature allows for an
unlimited use and opens the door for public
relations with the community.
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Bus Routing Information
REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER
DATE 06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am
PAGE 1 Run 324005 Route 122
Description MS BRYANT
Bus 122 Route Description MS
BRYANT Description
Time Stpld Runld
Stop School WALLACE RO Check Point Record
714 0 CHK PT Turn
Right on HIGH SCHOOL RD 2535 1024
Turn Left on S US 117 HWY 1018
3628 Turn Right on E HALL ST
937 936 WARNING RRX - NO LIGHTS
Turn Left on S WEST RAILRO ST WA
2216 2207 730 S WEST RAILRO ST WA
723 1
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The warning statement can be modified by the TIMS
Data Manager
REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER
DATE 06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am INFO
PAGE 5 Run 340001 Route 184
Description
Bus 184 Route Description MS
LANIER Description
Time Stpld Runld
Stop OWEN TAYLOR LN S US 117 HWY
704 2 4 340002 Turn
Right on S US 117 HWY 486 2993
Turn Left on PERRY RIVEN RD 426
2330 WARNING RRX NO GATE
Turn Left on BEASLEY TOR RD
425 2994 Turn Left on BEASLEY S M RD
710 2616
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REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER
DATE 06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am PAGE 9
Run 336001 Route 187 Description MS KEA
Bus 187
Route Description MS KEA
Description
Time Stpld Runld Stop School WARSAW EL
Check Point Record 655
0 CHK PT Turn Right on LANEFIELD RD
2444 761 Turn Right on E BEST ST
761 2537 Turn Left on S
PINE ST WR 1255 1256 S US 117
HWY B L TRAILER LN 701
7 7 336084 2051 S US 117 HWY
706 1 18 336078
Turn Right on WILLIS CARR RD 1837
2328 ALERT -BRIDGE OUT - DETOUR
Turn Right on ISHAM FREDE RD
1839 709 688 ISHAM FREDE RD
711 2 20
336075 Turn Right on BEASLEY TOR RD
710 2996 Turn Left on PERRY RIVEN RD
425 424
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REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER
DATE 06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am
PAGE 1 Run 324005 Route 122
Description MS BRYANT
Bus 122 Route Description MS
BRYANT Description
Time Stpld Runld
Stop School WALLACE RO Check Point Record
714 0 CHK PT Turn
Right on HIGH SCHOOL RD 2535 1024
Turn Left on S US 117 HWY 1018
3628 Turn Right on E HALL ST
937 936 WARNING RRX - CURVE -
Turn Left on S WEST RAILRO ST WA
2216 2207 730 S WEST RAILRO ST WA
723 1
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This report can provide warnings of other hazards.
REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER DATE
06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am PAGE 9 Run
336001 Route 187 Description MS KEA
Bus 187 Route
Description MS KEA
Description
Time Stpld Runld Stop School WARSAW EL
Check Point Record 655
0 CHK PT Turn Right on LANEFIELD RD
2444 761 Turn Right on E BEST ST
761 2537 Turn Left on S
PINE ST WR 1255 1256 S US 117
HWY B L TRAILER LN 701
7 7 336084 2051 S US 117 HWY
706 1 18 336078
Turn Right on WILLIS CARR RD 1837
2328 ALERT -BLIND CURVE AHEAD
Turn Right on ISHAM FREDE RD
1839 709 688 ISHAM FREDE RD
711 2 20 336075
Turn Right on BEASLEY TOR RD 710
2996 Turn Left on PERRY RIVEN RD
425 424
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This 36 1/2 foot pusher bus fills the queuing
area at this intersection.
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Insufficient Queing Area hazard warning.
REPORT CODE BUSRUN- 5 USER
DATE 06-FEB-98 TIME 0856 am INFO
Run 324003 Route 196 Description
MS LANIER
Bus 196 Route Description MS LANIER
128 ROSEMARY RD
736 1 33 324069 230
ROSEMARY RD
737 1 34 324071 INSUFF.
QUEING AREA 388 ROSEMARY RD
738 2 36
324072 324118 Turnaround on CHARLIE TEA RD
304 2051 Turnaround on W
CHARITY RD 1774 250 324097 1322
W CHARITY RD
749 2 42 324094
INSUFF. QUEUING AREA
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Food For Thought

• When Will it End?
• Wasnt Fox River Grove enough to impress on
  everyone the dangers of route hazards?
• Evidently not...

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March 10, 1998 - Buffalo, MT
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March 10, 1998 - Buffalo, MT

• 2 fatalities

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Tennga - TN/GAMarch 28, 2000

• 2 fatalities
• Driver didnt stop!

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Whats the Answer?
Education Education! EDUCATION!!
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August 5, 1998Elizabeth City, NC
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Training Video for School Bus Drivers

• North Carolina Operation Lifesaver
• NC Dept. of Transportation
• Division of Motor Vehicles School Bus Traffic
  Safety
• Public Schools of North Carolina

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School Bus Route Hazards

• Derek Graham
• State Director, North Carolina