Do You Know Basic Bus Safety?

Being safe on and around a school bus is very important! That is why we have rules on the buses, to keep the children and the driver safe at all times.

Over the past few weeks I have immersed myself in online articles involving school buses. I am very sad to say that I found a disturbing amount of articles related to school bus accidents. Finally I found a website related to safety on buses. While I was searching through the site I happened upon a link to a short quiz that is all about bus safety! When I took the quiz I scored a 940 out of 1000. I would really like to see how everyone else does.

To take the quiz (only 10 questions) just click on this post's title; I have a link set up to take you there. Afterward, please return to this post and place a comment with your score in it!

Thank You,
Haleigh

What Time is the Bus Coming?

For some people the hardest thing about the start of school, is knowing how their kids are going to get there. Here at Hoglund Transportation, we send out their information multiple times.

It starts with a letter sometime during the summer, then twice via their homeroom teachers or Magic Minutes advisors. In certain cases, like when there is a change after the cards are sent out, we will call the parents and let them know. (Which is why it is very important for us to have a working phone number, for every student, all year round.)

If you have any concerns about your child's school transportation needs, we are happy to answer your questions. The phone number is (763)-295-3604. If we are not able to answer your call, please leave us a message and we will call you.
Thank You,
Haleigh

Do You Wave?

When I was in elementary school, the first thing I did after boarding the bus, was turn around and wave goodbye, knowing that someone would always be there to wave back. Over the years, I stopped waving, and eventually I stopped looking back altogether. When I saw this father's story, it reminded me of when I used to look forward to seeing someone wave at me on the bus. It also made me smile and want to share it with the readers of this blog.

In the Image is Dale Price, day 2 of waving at the bus...

Dale Price, spent this last school year waving at his 10th-grade son as he rides by on the bus. It started as a joke, just to embarrass his son. After he saw how people reacted, he was encouraged to keep going, and he did. The next day, Dale stood on the porch in a Chargers' helmet and jersey, just to wave at his son's bus. After that, he would get up early, and put on a different costume each time to wave as the bus drove by his home. This went on all year, 170 days! I am very impressed by this father's effort to both amuse and embarrass his son. After awhile he started to get more attention, was in the news, on a radio show, and now his story is nationwide! There is a blog with pictures of all his costumes, waveatthebus.blogspot.com.

I very strongly suggest that you check out this man's story, and their family's blog. I put a link in the title of this post to a story about him.

Thank You,
Haleigh

Heros on the Bus!

Over the last few years, certain people's courage is still inspiring, and they deserve to be recognized for it.

-Kim Dahl:  she was the driver of the school bus that teetered on the edge of the bridge back in 2007. She stayed alone on the bus, holding it in place while all the student and chaperons exited the bus. That included her then ten-year-old daughter and five-year-old son, who exited just before their mother, and after everyone else had. From that incident she received a broken back; still she saved everyone on that bus, and she lived to see another day too.

-Susan Swartwood:  she was driving the bus when a student alerted her that another student was having a seizure. Being a registered nurse, she then went back and instructed a junior to help lower the girl onto the floor. The driver put a pillow under the girl's head and told the student that had alerted her to use the radio to contact the bus garage. The student provided the location, updates on the girl's condition and asked for an ambulance. While this was going on another student was directing traffic from inside the back of the bus.

-Sherman:  she was driving her bus on a two-lane road while a truck hauling timber on the other side of the road was getting closer. She noticed the log shift just as the truck was bout to pass. The log then fell off the trailer and crashed through the bus windshield, striking Sherman in the face and breaking her jaw, also causing some spinal damage. Even after that happened she still managed to drive the bus to the side of the road, put on the brake, and wait for a co-worker to arrive before passing out. The first thing she spoke of when she awoke in the hospital were the students, and only one student was slightly injured by the glass.

There are a ton of people who have done some amazing, and selfless things involving a school bus, so if you would like to find some more of them, read through the links attached to this post.

Thank you,
Haleigh

Bus Accident in Sedgefeild, Virginia

A 55-year old man driving a truck with a trailer full of lawn equipment attached, slammed into the bus. This happened around four p.m. on May 26, 2011.

There were around 40 students on the bus and none of them were injured! The school bus driver is the only one who was hurt, with non-life threatening injuries.

No news about the truck driver's condition, only that he will be charged with reckless driving.

Over all, the outcome could have been so much worse, and all those involved were very lucky.

Let us all use this example as a reminder, when we drive it is not only ourselves at risk but all of the people on the rode with us. Make good and safe choices, because if you crash you may not be as lucky as these people were.

Thank you,
Haleigh

A New Reason for Drivers to be Healthy?

We believe that sitting around and doing nothing all day is unhealthy. It just makes sense, but what if I told you it has been proven?

In a recent 14-year study it was found that sitting for long periods of time can raise the mortality rate of a person. This Study started with 53,000 men and 70,000 woman. At the start of the study all the people were disease-free.

Over the span of this study, 11,300 of the men died and 8,000 woman. Isn't that startling? They found that sitting for more that six hours a day will raise the mortality rate of a person. More so for men than for woman.

I found this information to be very interesting. I knew sitting around was bad, but I didn't know just how bad it really was or really could be.

Just thought I would let you know about this study and how sitting may be affecting you.

If you would like to read more click on the title.

Thank you.
Haleigh

Driver Who Hit a School Bus is Charged with a DUI (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)

A bus was struck along with one other vehicle by a truck who was trying to pass on a two-lane road. The truck driver cut quickly back into his lane and hit the two on the side, causing the truck to flip over. The truck driver was flown to a hospital and charged with a DUI. He was also out on bail and had a court-ordered ankle monitor while waiting for his other trial. No details on his official condition were given. The school bus and the other vehicle had no injuries! The children that were aboard were simply taken home on another bus.

Not everyone follows the rules of the road. Those that don't either end up hurting themselves or others. The kids on that bus and the driver of the other vehicle were very lucky today...on the other hand the man driving the truck that hit them wasn't.

We at Hoglund Transportation would like to remind everyone that even though it's you breaking the rules someone else might have to pay for it. Drive safe, and if you would like to know more about the incident click on the title to open the link.

Thank you.
Haleigh

A Car Rear Ended a School Bus in Village of Arlington WI.

At 6:36 am today, a school bus was driving down USH 51-60. While slowing down to make a turn, a car that was also traveling down 51-60 failed to slow down and rear-ended the school bus.

The person driving the car had serious injuries and was transported to the hospital via Med Flight. Luckily the school bus driver and the two remaining children did not receive any injuries. They were very fortunate.

We at Hoglund Transportation implore you to pay attention while driving. Especially if you know there is a school bus in the vicinity. There is too much at risk when people fail to pay attention. If you would like to read more about this story please click on the title and read the link.

Thank you.
Haleigh

In the News...

In the news....

A man in Ohio is pitching in and helping children in his neighborhood. He noticed that the children were waiting for the bus while cars were rushing by. He decided to step up and take action.

Since the bus stops in front of his house, he built a little stop for them. It has a bench and even some landscaping. This setup has had great reviews by the people in his neighborhood.

"People who live in the community should do things for the children" says Collier.

We wanted to recognize this man and use him as an example. He went beyond what was asked of him. He did something for the children and their safety.

If you want to read more about this, you can click on "In the News" and it will bring you to the article.

What can you do for the children in your neighborhood?

Take turns watching the kids at the stop. It is easy and it will reduce any risks that could be present.

Thank you.
Haleigh

Driven Driver Challenge

We started our new fitness program on Thursday, February 10.  Twelve people joined our  Driven Driver Challenge, a sixteen-week motivational program designed to encourage healthier lifestyles.

We've noticed a recent trend.  Commercial drivers are required to pass a physical that remains valid up to two years.  During the most recent twelve-month period, many drivers are presenting physicals that are only good for a year or six months.  In one case, the physical was only good for three months.

Once granted the physical, though, the driver is deemed fit-for-duty by a medical professional.  Our concern is not that unhealthy people are driving our buses.  Our concern is that the medical community seems to be more concerned that health is on some sort of downward spiral and needs to be checked more frequently. 

Combined with a poor attendance record, we felt the need to take action to reverse that downward check, and so we conceived, planned, and implemented our Driven Driver Challenge.

The Driven Driver - the one who wins the challenge - will be able to choose a destination vacation and we will present him or her with a $300 voucher toward the cost of airline tickets, and the "pot" of money collected at the weekly weigh-in. 

Friends of our business have offered special gifts to use in monthly drawings - an amazing workout bra from Sandy Foede (via Essential Body Wear, at 763.878.2548), an hour-long massage from Sylvia Nelson, Massage Therapist (763.262.9622) of Big Lake, a free portrait sitting at Lommel Photography (763.263.6974), and another hour-long massage from Belde Chiropractic.  Nice!

Participants receive a food, exercise, and goal journal, membership at The Rink, and a weekly visit from Jen, a nutritionist from New River Medical Center. 

Each week at weigh-in, we track the percent of body weight lost, journaling activities, exercise time, goals set, and meeting attendance.  Each week participants can earn extra points by completing other tasks (this week's is to bring a healthy recipe and/or a new exercise suggestion).  The point winner will win one of the free prizes.  Participants pay to weigh-in, for weight gained, for missing the meeting, etc., and that money will be presented to the ultimate winner.

We are so, so excited about this program and the opportunity it presents not only for the participants, but for every employee here.  We hope to see the desire to live a healthier lifestyle spread from person to person like a wildfire! 

Thanks to former employee and friend, Stacie Pribyl Hennen, for the name of our program, the Driven Driver!  Special thanks to Jakob Kounkel, sophmore at Monticello High School, for our program logo.

Watch for updates in the coming weeks.