It’s National School Bus Safety Week and Tyler ISD has partnered with the City of Tyler Police Department to remind our parents, students, and community members that they play an important role in school bus safety.
The Tyler ISD bus fleet has 134 buses that travel over 1.5 million miles a year; averaging approximately 6,500 miles each day. District bus drivers routinely witness motorists failing to stop while children are loading and unloading the bus.
“The Tyler ISD Transportation Department goes to great lengths to ensure the safety of all of those who ride on our buses, but we can only do so much.” John Bagert, Tyler ISD Director of Transportation said. “We also need the cooperation of the community to ensure safety for our students during loading and unloading procedures. Drivers can assist us by being aware of their surroundings while driving near buses and by obeying all traffic laws.”
Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about bus safety, such as arriving to the bus stop early, looking both ways before crossing the street, and to always watch for cars near the bus.
Drivers should reduce their speed around buses and always be mindful that children could be around the bus. Drivers must stop if a bus has flashing lights and its stop sign out, regardless of which way a bus is headed.
Drivers should always exercise caution when around a school bus. According to law, school buses must stop at all railroad tracks. Additionally, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus and may result in a fine up to $1,250 for a first offense.
