This picture clearly demonstrates the age of the vehicles that are used to transport our children.  Mr. Alex Stewart, General Manager of Park Ridge Transit, told the "Bus Action Committee" on the phone that the oldest vehicle in their fleet used to transport children dates from 1976.  This in no way implies that Park Ridge Transit are acting outside of the law.  However, it is of major concern to some parents that the law allows vehicles of such age to transport children.  This is because such buses are not subject to modern standards in regard to roll-over protection, seat-anchorage and occupant protection systems (Federal Office of Road Safety standards no. 59, 66 and 68).
 
 

This picture demonstrates that school buses are not marked with any limits in regard to the number of children they are allowed to carry.  This in no way implies the bus company is acting outside of the law in not displaying these numbers.  What this picture demonstrates is that bus companies are not required by law to display these numbers on school buses.
 
 
 
 

This is a picture of a cracked windscreen on a Park Ridge Transit Bus.  It was taken by a concerned parent.  Several months later, another concerned parent took more film (on a camcorder on loan from a television station) of several extensively cracked windscreens.
 
 
 

A bus packed with standing schoolkids.  This picture does not imply that the bus company are acting outside of the law in allowing standing schoolchildren on the bus.  What is far more frightening is that they are acting within the law.
 
 
 
 

Here, kids can clearly be seen standing in the stairwell of the bus.  It is extremely dangerous to stand in the stair well.  This picture speaks for itself.
 
 
 

An under-inflated tyre on a school bus.  Park Ridge Transit is the private company that transports our children.  A few years previously there was an almost potentially fatal accident when one of their bus drivers lost control after a tyre blow-out.  The policeman at the scene has described to parents how the bus came to rest about two foot from the side of a steep embankment.  Under inflated tyres are a prime cause of blow-outs as under-inflation generates excess heat within the tyre and it disintegrates.  After such a potentially serious accident and the major consequences that can flow on from a tyre blow-out, many reasonable people would assume that any bus company would ensure that none of their vehicles ever had under-inflated tyres.  The picture speaks for itself.

Do you have any pictures like these from your local school buses? Have you checked the current state of the buses that carry our kids to & from school? Remember these vehicles carry a precious cargo - our children.