Training program helps Diboll ISD meet state standards for bus safety

With help from a new school bus safety and evacuation training program developed by Texas-based Vertical Alliance Group, Diboll Independent School District schools have completed the safety requirements mandated by Texas House Bill 3190. The "House Bill 3190 Compliance Kit" is one of many training resources available to school districts through the online publisher's new school bus safety Web site, www.SafePupilTransport.com.

Vertical Alliance Group developed SafePupilTransport.com in response to the reported 16,000 school bus collisions that occur annually nationwide, resulting in 12,000 injuries and 130 deaths, many of which can be attributed to driver negligence and improper training. While Diboll ISD has already used the House Bill 3190 compliance kit, the district now has the option to provide its school bus drivers with proactive, comprehensive safety training offered by SafePupilTransport.com  to help reduce the likelihood of collisions and other incidents.

House Bill 3190 went into effect on Sept. 1, 2007, and requires Texas public schools to train all students and teaching staff on emergency school bus evacuation procedures. It also prohibits any person who has committed certain offenses from operating a school bus for at least 10 years; requires school bus operators to wear seatbelts if available; and prohibits seating beyond the school bus manufacturer's design capacity.

Daniel Zarzoza, director of transportation for Diboll ISD, said, "We chose to use the compliance kit developed by Vertical Alliance Group because it includes all aspects needed to meet the school bus safety training required by House Bill 3190, from safety training videos for students and teachers to the paperwork districts must file with the state upon completion."

The initial compliance deadline for HB 3190 for Texas districts was Dec. 1, 2007. Given the information and logistics required to meet this deadline, Vertical Alliance Group introduced the compliance kit in November 2007 to facilitate the process for school districts, according to Jay Wommack, founder, president and CEO of Vertical Alliance Group. "District personnel already have a myriad of responsibilities that make getting in compliance with HB 3190 difficult, if not impossible," Wommack said. "The Diboll school district should be commended for its efforts to meet the state's new school bus safety regulations in such a timely manner, and we are very pleased to have provided the comprehensive training to help make its students safer." For a one-time licensing fee of $150, Diboll ISD obtained district-wide rights to Vertical Alliance Group's House Bill 3190 compliance kit, which consists of two training videos on DVD. The first is used to train instructors on how to perform the evacuation walkthrough with students, and the second is for students to view prior to participating in the evacuation walkthrough.

In addition to the training videos, the program includes all necessary paperwork the district is required to file with the state, as well as handouts for students and teachers, reporting forms, question and answer guides, and detailed instructions on how and when to implement each step of the program.

To learn more about the House Bill 3190 compliance kit, or to request a free live video demonstration, please contact Vertical Alliance Group at 877-792-3866, extension 107.

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