The Governor's School Bus Safety Workgroup
On January 31, 2024, Governor Mike DeWine announced the release of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group Report. This report, a comprehensive examination of all aspects related to school bus safety in Ohio, contains 17 recommendations intended to improve the safety of children being transported by school buses.
Working Group recommendation #10 indicated, “The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce should work with the Ohio General Assembly to develop and fund a grant program to help school districts invest in school bus safety features such as, but not limited to, seat belts. The grant program should be needs-based.” To implement this recommendation, districts, schools and other eligible parties may apply for School Bus Safety Grant funds to be used for school bus safety features. Information regarding the School Bus Safety Grant program is available HERE.
Effective July 1, 2025, the Department has revised five of its Pupil Transportation (OAC 3301-83) rules to implement Workgroup recommendations:
- #1 Districts should identify, share, and encourage bus drivers to participate in professional development opportunities (OAC 3301-83-10).
- #2 Ohio Department of Education and Workforce & Department of Public Safety should create and offer wellness programming specific to school bus drivers. School districts should develop policies to ensure bus drivers can take advantage of this wellness support (OAC 3301-83-05).
- #3 Districts should develop school bus driver performance review policies and conduct annual evaluations (OAC 3301-83-05).
- #6 ODEW should adopt rules requiring districts to offer school bus safety orientation for students, parents, and guardians at the beginning of each school year (OAC 3301-83-09).
- #13 Districts should conduct annual safety audits of routes, stops, and pick-up/ drop-off sites on school property (OAC 3301-83-13).
- #17 School districts should thoroughly evaluate contracted commercial or charter bus services (OAC 3301-83-19).
The Department has developed resources for districts to use in implementing four of the Workgroup recommendations as follows:
Safety Recommendation #2
"Ohio Department of Education and Workforce & Department of Public Safety should create and offer wellness programming specific to school bus drivers. School districts should develop policies to ensure bus drivers can take advantage of this wellness support".
School bus drivers play a crucial role in student safety and wellness. But their mental health and well-being is just as important.
As part of the Governor’s School Bus Safety Working Group recommendations, the Department of Education and Workforce and the Department of Public Safety are working together to provide mental health and wellness resources, along with strategies and stress relief exercises aimed toward school bus drivers.
School Bus Driver Wellness Resources
Safety Recommendation #6
"Ohio Department of Education and Workforce should adopt rules requiring districts to offer school bus safety orientation for students, parents, and guardians at the beginning of each school year ".
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road. NHSTA also acknowledges, though, that children are at the greatest risk when approaching or leaving school buses. The Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group was made aware of this risk and focused one of their recommendations around this concern by advising districts to offer opportunities for students, along with their parents or guardians, to meet their bus drivers, tour a bus, and learn about school bus safety at the start of each school year.
When possible, school bus safety orientations should be incorporated into existing mandatory orientations, meetings, or assemblies. School districts should provide families with take-home materials that parents can use to encourage positive school bus behaviors.
This recommendation is in addition to existing law ( ORC 3327.16 and OAC 3301-83-09 ) that requires school districts to provide school bus safety instruction, within the first two weeks of school, for all students in kindergarten through third grade who are offered school bus transportation and have not previously attended such a program. A district may choose to combine the parent/student safety orientation with the K-3 pupil instruction.
School Bus Safety Orientation for Parents, Guardians and Students
safety recommendation #13
"School districts should conduct safety audits of their bus routes, bus stops, and school pick-up/drop-off sites on school property to reduce safety risks and mitigate the severity of school bus crashes".
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road. NHSTA also acknowledges, though, that children are at the greatest risk when approaching or leaving school buses. The Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group was made aware of this risk and focused one of their recommendations around this concern by advising districts to complete a comprehensive audit of their transportation practices with a focus on maximizing student safety throughout the transportation process. This recommendation provides:
School districts should conduct safety audits of their bus routes, bus stops, and school pick-up/drop-off sites on school property to reduce safety risks and mitigate the severity of school bus crashes.
Safety should always be a priority when mapping bus routes, stops, and a student’s designated place of safety. Everyone – from school bus drivers to all staff in schools and districts and members of the public - plays a critical role in the safe transportation of students to and from school. Therefore, it is important for schools and districts to include as many viewpoints as possible when they conduct their annual transportation safety audits.
This document is intended as a starting point to assist districts with conducting more comprehensive annual transportation safety audits. Schools and districts are encouraged to use the School Bus Safety Audit Best Practice Checklist Template to start local discussions about the unique safety concerns they face in their routes, stops, and school zones. As this template is only a starting point, districts are encouraged to determine which items are relevant for their local needs, as well as to consider what additional items need to be added to ensure a comprehensive review tailored to the individual district. Reviewing and modifying the School Bus Safety Audit Best Practice Checklist Template to fit each school and district’s concerns will help ensure Ohio’s students are safe when transported by school buses. The final checklist may also need to be reviewed annually in the event new safety concerns have arisen that have not yet been addressed on the checklist. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Pupil Transportation team with questions and concerns. We all have a role to play in helping ensure the safe transportation of Ohio’s students.
School Bus Safety Audit Best Practice Checklist
SAFETY RECOMMENDATION #16
“The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce should expand its post-crash report to collect additional information and publish the data annually to inform future policy decisions and aid in determining school bus driver professional development needs.”
In response to this recommendation, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
created the 2024-2025 School Bus Accident Report as an annual collection of all post-crash report data received during the 2024-2025 school year. While reviewing this data, it should be remembered that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road. Less than 1% of all traffic fatalities involve children on school transportation vehicles. However, it is intended that the data contained in this report be used to ensure that Ohio students continue to experience the safest possible experience while riding the school bus.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol also publishes an annual traffic safety bulletin each August regarding school bus accidents. This bulletin provides valuable information regarding school bus crashes, violations, and inspections. The Ohio State Highway Patrol releases its report with data covering a five-year period, as opposed to the annual basis presented in the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce School Bus Accident Report.
SAfety recommendation #17
"School districts should adopt policies that require a thorough evaluation of contracted commercial bus services".
The Department of Education and Workforce developed this document to provide recommendations to district leaders and transportation professionals regarding the selection of commercial carriers. These recommendations are intended to assist schools and districts in developing and supporting the most effective screening policies to ensure the safety of the students in their care. The importance of schools and districts implementing robust screening policies for contracting with commercial bus carriers cannot be overstated, as stringent vetting processes are essential to ensuring the safety and security of students.
Commercial Carrier Policy Development Guidance
Last Modified: 12/4/2025 3:43:24 PM