New York, NY – School buses have been cited with more safety violations in the first four months of this school year than in all the previous year — before officials made sure surprise inspections are truly surprises.
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Inspectors have logged more than 12,000 violations since September. That compares to about 10,100 throughout the 2006-07 school year, and 9,600 the year before.
City ED spokesman David Cantor says the increase reflects "better and more aggressive management" and revised inspection procedures. He said that the agency had started telling inspectors the locations of unannounced checks only on the day of the inspection, after some questions were raised whether bus companies were being alerted before inspections.
A lawyer for several bus companies denied it. [NY Daily News]
With all its faults, the NY DOT inspection system for buses (both school buses and charter) is one of the most comprehensive and effective in the nation. It had its ups and downs and sideways gyrations, but at the present time it’s based on fairness and common sense. For example, at one time the [bus] inspection system was so tedious and irrational that a lot of private school bus owners (i.e. Yeshivas) stayed away (did not cooperate w. the system) from the [inspection] process. Out of a possible 120 inspection points, if one item failed (no matter how insignificant or unrelated to the overall safety of the bus) the whole procedure had to be done over.. and over.. Today it’s divided into classes A, B, and C.
Only an A item is cause for failing the inspection. Other items are noted but the vehicle is approved for the road.
job well done!