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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution recognizes school bus drivers for their skills, dedication, leadership, and
11 efforts to foster student and parent relationships.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ recognizes school bus drivers for their exemplary work that includes:
15 • driving a school bus while navigating road and weather hazards;
16 • inspecting school buses to ensure the safety of the students who ride the bus;
17 • identifying signs of sexual harassment, bullying, and other abuse;
18 • communicating with the parents of students who ride the bus;
19 • helping students with medical needs and disabilities; and
20 • performing all of their duties and responsibilities while avoiding distractions.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
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24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 WHEREAS, school buses are statistically the safest vehicles on the road;
26 WHEREAS, half of the nation's public school students depend on school bus drivers to
27 get to and from school safely and many more students ride in school buses during educational
28 and extracurricular activities;
29 WHEREAS, Utah's 2,987 school buses provide safe and environmentally friendly
30 transportation to 195,000 students every day;
31 WHEREAS, the use of school buses in Utah saves approximately 11 million gallons of
32 fuel and the associated costs each year;
33 WHEREAS, Utah school buses reduce the number of vehicles on the road by roughly
34 86,000 each year, with each school bus replacing about 36 vehicles, decreasing traffic
35 congestion and thousands of pounds of harmful particulate matter that pollute our air;
36 WHEREAS, it is estimated that six Utah student lives are saved each year as a result of
37 riding school buses;
38 WHEREAS, the unparalleled safety record of school buses is attributed to many factors,
39 but the performance of school bus drivers and their attention to safety are the most important
40 and critical factors in protecting student riders from harm;
41 WHEREAS, school bus drivers must meet significantly more stringent requirements for
42 licensure and training than drivers of light vehicles; and
43 WHEREAS, Utah school bus drivers serve an important role in the Utah education
44 system, not only in safely transporting students, but in their observation and management of
45 various student needs, including by:
46 • being knowledgeable of individual student needs, especially for students
47 with disabilities;
48 • helping to manage students with medical needs;
49 • recognizing and reporting signs of sexual harassment, bullying, and
50 abuse;
51 • navigating road and weather hazards;
52 • performing pre- and post-trip inspections of the school bus to ensure the
53 safety of the students who ride the bus;
54 • managing students;
55 • working to communicate effectively with the parents and guardians of
56 students; and
57 • fulfilling all of these obligations while avoiding distractions:
58 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
59 encourages and supports the recognition of Utah school bus drivers for their dedication,
60 leadership, student and parent relationships, and technical skills.
61 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be provided to each of
62 Utah's school districts and charter schools, members of the Utah Parent Teacher Association
63 and the Utah State Board of Education, and the Utah State Pupil Transportation Specialist with
64 the Utah State Board of Education.