Updating Pupil Transportation Regulations on Cruise Control

I  would like to comment on behalf of the professional school bus drivers who use school buses ( yellow in color ) to transport students during after school activities. As previously mentioned we are another public school district who does not own activity buses in any other color then yellow to transport students.

Cruise control systems have been around for many years, they have gone through many technological enhancements that improve driver comfort and convenience. In addition they have become a standard vehicle feature.

The primary purpose of cruise control when activated is that it enables you to maintain a constant speed without keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can help reduce driver fatigue during long trips. It also makes the driver look at the long view of the road rather than reacting to every change in the traffic around them.

I personally run long activity trips away from our school and depend on this feature to allow me to maintain a constant speed on the interstate. This feature has prevented many discomforting cramps in my legs from holding accelerator in a constant position for extended periods of time. Bus drivers, unlike truck drivers, don’t spend nearly the amount of time behind the wheel that causes the fatigue that a truck driver would normally experience after many hours on the road. Due to the small amount of time a school bus driver spends on the road, they are not subject to the same levels of fatigue and stress, and are able to retain a much higher level of awareness while driving, even while driving with cruise control enabled.

 Professional school bus drivers are some the most qualified individuals to transport children safely to school. We are forced to attend two safety meetings a year and are forced to go for yearly physicals. We are watched like hawks for the smallest mistakes we may make. We must drive as safe as possible at all times, both defensively and offensively. If we neglect to drive with this high level of caution, someone will call the transportation office for the smallest error made.

As mentioned in a few previous letters. I agree regulations need to be updated on a regular basis, but this particular regulation needs to be reviewed and written so that cruise control should solely be used for activity trips, regardless of the color of the bus. I think the decision should be left up to school district and the transportation superintendent’s discretion.