Driven by a desire to make school bus transportation even safer, the AFT and some of its affiliates that represent transportation workers have launched a “Stop for the Bus” campaign to coincide with the beginning of the new school year. The rest of the campaign’s motto is “our kids are worth the wait.” With that in mind, one of the campaign-related fliers includes a set of reminders for drivers: Look for flashing red lights and the extended stop arm; stop for buses that are loading or unloading students; wait until children have safely reached the curb or sidewalk; and know your state law.

The campaign is a way for AFT locals not only to highlight the training and professionalism of their members and their concern for bus safety but also to get some positive publicity in the community. In Florida, for example, the Madison County Education Association is working with the school district to distribute a flier on students and bus safety. The union had previously paid for ads in the local paper in conjunction with National School Bus Safety Week. In Utah, where the campaign has been endorsed by many local police departments, drivers and bus assistants from AFT locals in Davis and Salt Lake City are delivering posters about the campaign to stores and gas stations near their stops. Other AFT locals were also planning to use materials prepared by the PSRP division and seeking support from local partners and sponsors.

The idea for a public awareness campaign came from a meeting earlier this year of the AFT’s transportation workers task force, which included union leaders and activists from around the country. They noticed an increase in the number of motorists who were passing stopped school buses, which is probably the leading cause of accidents and injuries to students.

The AFT’s Web site includes information on the laws in every state regarding passing school buses. Go to www.aft.org/psrp/stopforthebus.htm to find the rules in your state.