Austintown schools take steps to improve bus safety

AUSTINTOWN — Superintendent Doug Heuer says he and his staff didn’t take lightly the question of whether two groups of students could be combined onto one bus next year to save around $200,000.

They explored a number of options and finally concluded that combining the fourth- and fifth-graders at Frank Ohl Intermediate School with the Fitch High School students would be the best fit for the upcoming school year.

Students at the four grade levels all rode separate buses this year.

Among the considerations were the low number of disciplinary problems recorded on the buses carrying high school and intermediate school students compared to middle school and elementary school pupils and the space available on intermediate and high school buses compared to middle and elementary school buses.

Extra steps are also being planned for next year to improve safety on all buses, such as video cameras and entertainment piped into the buses by a radio service called Bus Radio.

With the district continuing to explore cost-cutting measures before going to voters this fall with a new levy, eliminating one shift of busing at a savings of $200,000 seemed wise, Heuer said.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.