by Aundrea Cline-Thomas
MAURY COUNTY, Tenn.- School buses are getting a makeover, all in an effort to keep students safe. In one Mid-state County some drivers say the changes are cause for concern.
Buses are now built with the backs of each seat four inches higher than before. It's all in an effort to better protect students in case the driver has to make a sudden stop or is involved in a crash.
"The compartmentalized of those seats would take impact and be safer for (students)," Bobby Anderson, Maury County Schools Supervisor of Transportation, said.
Still some Maury County school bus drivers have safety concerns of their own.
"On a big bus you really have to get up to walk to actually see what your kids are doing," driver Sharon Hardison explained. "You really can't see. It's not really good to me."
On the older buses, mirrors made it easier for drivers to keep an eye on their students. With the new seats some drivers say seeing smaller children, especially elementary school kids, has become harder and could lead to trouble.
"You can go to California, New York or any other place and they have to follow the same guidelines," Anderson said.
Right now the new busses make up almost half of Maury Counties fleet and they plan to continue to phase them in as part of Federal regulations. The new requirements issued by the National Transportation Safety Board stemmed from an extensive study of crashes across the country. However, the recommendations do not include requiring seat belts on busses. Instead the NTSB said they are leaving that choice to school districts.
While some have problems with it, other drivers say the safety benefits outweigh any concerns.
"You (have to) keep your eyes all over the road," school bus driver Nicholas Musto said. "It isn't just on the students. It's all over the place. Every mirror you've got, you've got to keep your eyes on."
To help drivers, Maury County Schools has installed cameras on buses. District leaders also tell them to move students who may be causing problems if they can't be seen. Anderson says the drivers concerns stress the importance of students sitting in their seats and behaving.
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