PRINTER'S NO. 2479
No. 399 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MADIGAN, PUNT, STOUT, KASUNIC, C. WILLIAMS, STACK, BOSCOLA, TARTAGLIONE, ARMSTRONG, TOMLINSON, WASHINGTON, BAKER, COSTA, O'PAKE, EARLL, ERICKSON, LAVALLE, PIPPY, RHOADES, M. WHITE, DINNIMAN, BROWNE, MELLOW, MUSTO, RAFFERTY, BRUBAKER AND FERLO, OCTOBER 6, 2008
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 6, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Recognizing "School Bus Safety Week," which is being celebrated 2 the week of October 19 through 25, 2008, in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Approximately 30,721 yellow school buses carry more 4 than 1.5 million children to and from school every weekday; and 5 WHEREAS, This Commonwealth's 30,721 school buses comprise the 6 largest mass transportation fleet in this nation, 2.5 times the 7 size of all other forms of mass transportation, including 8 transit, intercity buses, commercial airlines and all rail, 9 combined; and 10 WHEREAS, During the school year, school buses make more than 11 3 million passenger trips daily carrying this Commonwealth's 12 future, our children; and 13 WHEREAS, School bus transportation is eight times safer than 14 traveling in a passenger vehicle and is the safest form of 15 ground transportation available; and 16 WHEREAS, School buses meet higher construction, equipment and
1 inspection standards than any other vehicle, and school bus 2 drivers meet higher qualification, training and testing 3 standards than any other drivers; and 4 WHEREAS, According to the National Academy of Sciences, less 5 than 2% of fatal school hour accidents occur on school buses; 6 and 7 WHEREAS, Despite the best efforts of the school safety 8 officials and the pupil transportation industry, accidents still 9 happen; and 10 WHEREAS, Most of the accidents involved children in the area 11 immediately surrounding the bus, either by a passing vehicle or 12 by the bus itself; and 13 WHEREAS, "School Bus Safety Week," which is celebrated in 14 more than 40 states and sponsored by the National Highway 15 Traffic Safety Administration, was created to remind all 16 students of the best way to get on and off the bus in an effort 17 to enhance the safety of this nation's children; and 18 WHEREAS, "School Bus Safety Week," which dates back to 1966, 19 also recognizes the hard work and dedication of school 20 transportation personnel, especially the many school bus drivers 21 who ensure a safe journey each and every day; and 22 WHEREAS, "School Bus Safety Week" promotes awareness through 23 State and local poster and speech contests, lessons utilizing 24 school bus safety, community awareness kits and other activities 25 built around themes that raise awareness of school bus safety 26 issues; therefore be it 27 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize "School Bus Safety Week," 28 which is being celebrated the week of October 19 through 25, 29 2008, in Pennsylvania and support the safe transportation of all 30 students in this Commonwealth. J3L82RLE/20080S0399R2479 - 2 -