Security * USA - Violence on school buses prompts tougher
Districts adding cameras, training to keep riders safeWashington,DC,USA -The Gannett News Service, by LEDYARD KING -27 Nov 2006: -- The recent wave of school violence has officials mulling whether to fortify buildings, fence off campuses, maybe even arm teachers... But what about the school bus?... Each weekday, some 24 million public school children ride school buses driven by adults whose main job is to watch the road — not the kids on board... The vast majority of rides remain uneventful. Yet isolated but well-publicized reports of bullying, fighting and last year's shooting of a bus driver in Cumberland City, Tenn., have prompted authorities to equip more buses with cameras, restrict access to non-students, and train drivers to deal with dangerous situations...
What is clear is that school districts are responding:
• Many are installing cameras above the driver and, in some newer models, at the rear as well, to record and deter misbehavior. Michael J. Martin, executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, estimates that 10 percent to 15 percent of buses have a camera. Metro Nashville school buses do use cameras...
• Districts in places like Buffalo, N.Y., are putting adult monitors on buses to help keep order...
• More drivers are being trained to deal with unruly behavior and even terrorism situations, according to drivers and safety experts...
• Florida, New York and other states have passed laws making it a crime for non-students to board a bus without the driver's permission, Martin said.... (Photo, by HEATHER WINES / GANNETT NEWS SERVICE - Students board a bus at West Frederick Middle School in Maryland. Students at the school learn proper bus etiquette through an informational video, and cameras monitor the kids while on board)
* UK - Trouble on the buses
Coventry,UK -ic Coventry, by Dayle Crutchlow -Nov 28 2006: -- Bus company bosses say smashed windows and abused drivers have hit alarming levels in Coventry... General manager of Mike de Courcey Travel Bob Wildman spoke out after yet another bus was attacked by thugs on Saturday night, leaving its front nearside window smashed and its driver shaken... Three youths brought the Travel de Courcey vehicle to a standstill in Norman Place Road, in Coundon, at about 8.10pm...
* UK - There are 60,000 CCTV cameras on London's 8,000 bus fleet - CCTV on buses hits vandal attacks
London,UK -BBC -29 Nov 2006: -- ... More than 1,200 people have been arrested for vandalism since recordable CCTV was brought in on London's buses... Since Operation BusTag was introduced in 2004 more than 90% of those caught writing graffiti, damaging seats and lighting fires have been convicted... The partnership between the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London (TfL) saw recordable CCTV installed on London's 8,000 buses...
* UK - Buses threat to ban pupils
Scarborough,UK -The Scarborough Today -2 Dec 2006: -- Bus chiefs have warned they will not pick up schoolchildren if pupils continue to mis-behave on local services... The threat to make the youngsters walk comes after police were called to an incident on a number 15 bus running from Cloughton to the town centre... Scalby School acted swiftly to try to prevent further trouble and has disciplined two 11-year-old boys... Bob Rackley, commercial manager at East Yorkshire Motor Services, which runs services in Scarborough, said: "This is not the first time we have had problems with schoolchildren. If it continues then we will refuse to pick them up and they will have to walk home."...
posted by Unknown @ 1:07 PM
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