All school buses are inspected by the State patrol yearly, they also can be stopped and inspected at anytime while out on the road. The drivers for the local bus company inspect there bus every time it leaves the bus barn.

Big business creates big government. If no one is present to enforce safety, safety will be ignored.

These are generally commercial coaches not owned or operated by school districts.

Wow, people. You're complaining about safety inspections? Get over yourselves. It needs to start somewhere. I'm glad the State Patrol is doing this. It might mean one less call they need to go on if something bad happens.

why aren't all school buses required to pass yearly inspections and school bus drivers examined for credentials and if need be tested yearly? lets make all riders safe and the bands will be safe then too without special inspections.

If you will recall, four years ago yesterday the Chippewa Falls band had the accident that killed the Director, his wife, grandaughter, a student teacher and the driver.

One of the reasons given for the accident was brakes out of adjustment on the bus in question.

Perhaps this is in reaction to that incident.

Buses are considered to be commercial vehicles which makes them, their owners, and drivers subject to WDOT rules and regulations; this is just a big media hype of a little attended event.

They just got some grant money from somewhere and are using this exercise to collect it. So, we're paying twice once for their salary and then for the grant.

freebird007, obviously when it is up to the individual school districts you are going to have a range of compliance. The state patrol doing this is another layer of enforcement and, yes, accountability. (If a bus is taken out of service, clearly another will have to be sent to fulfill the bus company's contract at their expense.)

am I missing something? shouldn't this already been done by the school districts and now we are going to pay again to have police look at it! why do we give money to the school district when they do not do there job, and where is the driver security check before they get hired and drug test once a year. then suspend the vehicle if in violation, how are these kids going to get home. There is alot of morons in this state, no one is held accountable!!!

There has been a notable increase in bus accidents during events such as these and also, this is an opportunity to check bus and driver in a more random fashion. Normal inspections on the buses takes place at there place of domicile on a reg. scheduled basis. The driver only gets checked if stopped for a violation.

Just testing the water for public reaction to safety stops.

And they are just checking buses that transports Bands and Choir,, Don't they use these buses for school also...
Think they need to put forth a little more thought on this...