State inspectors make sure buses are safe for kids

By Harold Gwin

Inspections have already been completed in some of the larger local districts.

YOUNGSTOWN — Motor vehicle inspectors from the Ohio State Highway Patrol are in the process of inspecting every school bus in the state before the start of classes.

Members of one of the 23 state inspection teams have visited the city school district twice so far, and it will take another two visits for them to complete an inspection of all 74 or 75 buses Youngstown may use this year, said Steve Ambrosio, chief of transportation for the district.

“They have to inspect every bus,” said Tony DeNiro, assistant superintendent of school business affairs.

“They spend a lot of time. “They’re pretty thorough,” Ambrosio explained.

The state inspects all Ohio school buses twice each year — once before the start of school in a scheduled visit or series of visits (depending on fleet size) and again randomly during the course of the school year.

Bus inspections cover four major areas:

UComplete check of the engine compartment for fluid leaks.

UExterior checked for proper color, correct markings, all lights in working order and overall condition of the exterior.

UInterior to make sure that children are protected in the event of an accident. The driver area is inspected to note that the driver has a clear view of the areas outside of the bus through the use of the required mirrors.

UUndercarriage examined for any problems with the frame or suspension and to ensure that all braking systems are in proper working order.

Last year, the teams did 46,672 school bus inspections. Since 1966, there has not been a single crash fatality in Ohio involving a child riding in a school bus, according to the state patrol.

Bus inspections for the start of school have already been completed in some other large local districts, including Austintown, Boardman and Poland, said Sgt. Mike Schneider of the state patrol facility in Southington.

Dr. Robert Zorn, Poland superintendent, said 25 of his district’s 27 buses passed inspection. The other two are brand new vehicles and the district is awaiting title to them before they get inspected, he said.

“Our commitment to ensure the safety of every child who rides on a school bus in Ohio is one of the most valuable services the Ohio State Highway Patrol provides to the public each year,” said Col. Richard H. Collins, patrol superintendent.

It’s a “no defect” inspection, Schneider said, explaining that nothing can be wrong. Usually school mechanics are on hand and deal with any problems immediately, but the inspection team will come back to reinspect a bus if a problem can’t be corrected quickly, he said.

From June through August, approximately 20,000 school buses are inspected for safety and compliance with Ohio’s school bus construction standards.

DeNiro said the inspection teams schedule their initial visits after the buses are cleaned and routine maintenance is completed.

The team manages to inspect 15 to 20 buses per visit, Ambrosio said, noting Youngstown will be visited again Aug. 15 and 22.

Youngstown has a pool of about 12,000 children to be transported annually, but a large number of them don’t go to city schools.

The district reported about 7,700 children enrolled in city schools last fall. The other 4,300 were attending charter schools, other public schools with open enrollment or parochial schools and other private schools.

The district delivers children to 37 schools, but only 16 of them are city schools.

The others are charters, parochial and private schools accepting children on the state voucher system.

State law doesn’t require the district to provide rides for children who opt to attend another public school through open enrollment.

gwin@vindy.com