Talking school bus teaches school bus safety

Standing 2-feet tall and bright yellow in color, Buster the talking school bus, visited Windham Elementary School students March 5 to discuss some very important issues in school bus safety.

"We're always trying to keep our children safe in everything we do," Windham Elementary School Principal Chris Mitten said. "Transportation to and from school is one of the most dangerous times, so making sure they have as much knowledge as they can about having to be safe on the bus is important."

For seven years Windham has invited Crossgate Services owner Bryan Nash and his small remote-control robotic school bus, Buster, to teach the students about school bus safety in a fun, yet interactive way.

Nash, the voice of Buster, uses special remote controls to guide the robotic bus while buster talks directly to the students.

During his visit, Buster talked to the children about various school bus rules.

He explained school bus safety starts at home by being on time and ready.

“Always get to the bus stop five minutes before you’re supposed to be there,” Buster said. “Walk to the bus stop, and make sure you go straight there. Don’t talk to strangers, take anything from strangers and don’t get into the car with a stranger.”

Buster also explained the distance students should stand from a bus, how to behave at the bus stop and how to behave on the bus.

“Walk to the bus, don’t run, push or shove,” he said. “Look both ways when crossing the street. Stay 10 feet from the bus to be sure the driver can see you. Never stand up on the bus because that is the most dangerous thing you can do.”

Nash said it is important for students to understand to look both ways when crossing the street because people running a stop sign is one of the biggest problems pedestrians face everyday.

According to Nash, in a study done between 1989-1999 30 pedestrians were killed each year by a bus or another vehicle while getting on or off a school bus.

Students were also told to stay 10 feet away from the bus to be sure the driver can see them and that they are not in the blind spot or danger zones.

Nash told the students their behavior on a bus is very important.

He told the students to sit quietly on the bus because if a bus driver takes their eye of the road for just a few seconds to tell them something, anything can happen.

Although, a lot of serious topics were discussed during the program there was still a lot of humor and fun.

During the hour-long demonstration Buster told jokes, sang and danced with teachers and had student volunteers demonstrate safety procedures.

Nash, a 30-year veteran of school transportation, is a former director of transportation for the Tuscaloosa County School System, as well as former safety inspector for the state.

He said he started the program to make sure students remain safe.

"If we can keep one child from getting hurt, it's been worth it," he said.

Nash added school buses are one the safer passenger vehicles and have the safest records in the country.

"A lot of people look at school bus safety and think that is the most dangerous part of our education, but here in Alabama we have one of the safest records in the whole country," he said. "Our mechanics do a great job, our supervisors do a great job and our drivers are second to none. This is a very vital part of our education."

Mitten said he believes the program is very important and will continue to work with Nash.

"You can never stress safety enough and do everything you can possibly do to keep these kids safe," he said.