1.  saintstewart@hotmail.com

> From: Philip S. Reich
>
> Comments:
>
> High seatbacks may be too high for driver to see kids.
>
> Kids may stand-up on seats to see back.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

1.  jam1847@roadrunner.com

> From: MARY ELLEN MARTIN
>
> Comments:
>
> I HAVE DRIVEN A SCHOOL BUS FOR 15 YRS\...\...\...\...WHAT HAPPENS IF
> YOU CAN GET THESE CHILDREN TO USE THE SAFETY HARNESS\...\...\...WHEN A
> FIRE BREAKS OUT\...\...\....YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS TO GET
> EVERYONE OUT\...\...\...\...THE POLICE, SHERIFFS, PATROLS WON\'T EVEN
> DUE ANYTHING WHEN YOU REPORT SOMEONE RUNNING YOUR RED
> LIGHTS\...\...\...HOW CAN WE FIX THAT???
>
> GOOD LUCK ON THE SAFETY BELTS,,,,,,,,PERSONALLY I HAVE NEVER SEEN A
> BUS LIKE THE ONE SHOWN ON TV\...\.....OURS ARE ALL OLD BUSES AND
> SCHOOLS CAN NOT AFFORD NEW ONES\...\...\...\...
>
> WHAT ABOUT ALL THE LOTTERY MONEY THAT REALLY DOESN\'T GO TO SCHOOLS
> BUT EVERYONE BELIEVES IT DOES??
>
> JUST MY THOUGHTS.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

2.  toobize@hotmail.com

> From: MARY TROISE
>
> Comments:
>
> ATTN, MARY PETERS
>
> RE:SCH0OL BUS SEAT BELTS
>
> I AM CURRENTLY A LARGE SCHOOL BUS DRIVER AND I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF
> REQUIRING SEAT BELTS ON LARGE BUSES UNLESS THEY ALSO HAVE A MATRON ON
> EACH AND EVERY BUS.  IF THERE WERE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, THERE IS ONLY
> ONE DRIVER AND SOME OF US TRANSPORT OVER 65 CHILDREN, ONE PERSON CAN
> NOT POSSIBLY UNBUCKLE THE CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THE KINDERGARTEN WHO
> ALWAYS HAVE TROUBLE AND GET THE CHILDREN TO SAFETY. IT\'S IMPOSSIBLE,
> ESPECIALLY SINCE IF THERE WERE A FIRE WE WOULD ONLY HAVE 2 MINUTES TO
> EVACUATE THE BUS.
>
> MARY PETERS NEEDS TO RIDE THE BUS MORE OFTEN TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY
> TRANSPIRES. ONCE AGAIN WE WOULD NEED MATRONS IF THIS IS TO BE
> IMPLIMENTED!!!!
>
> THANK YOU
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

3.  bdierdorff@hotmail.com

> From: Barbara Dierdorff
>
> Comments:
>
> I think as time goes on things become more and more rediculous with
> what the law makers think up for our saftey. Let\'s think this
> through\.... Now, it is proposed to put in seat belts into school
> buses that already have one of the lowest fatalities on the highways?
> Hummm, forget what it is going to cost us, the tax payer\... that can
> only mean millions upon millions to redo these school buses.
>
> Hummm, there is a senator somewhere that needs a vote or a congressman
> that has too many hours on his hands so decided this might fly\...
>
> If you will please just tell me where to vote on this rediculous
> issue, I will do it.
>
> Why not spend time figuring out why only people that have more than
> one person in the car is able to use the center lanes at peak traffic
> hour?
>
>  Ipay my taxes and for whatever reasons that isn\'t good enough.  The
> highway division has decided that at peak traffic hour, instead of
> allowing all going home or to work to use the extra lane to make
> traffic flow more easily for all, it is restricted for only those that
> have a passenger beside them\...
>
> Now, tell me how much sense that makes??
>
> Get real here.  The kids don\'t need more restraints in the school bus
> that tottles home, but our congressmen need something to keep them
> busy\...
>
> Barbara Dierdorff
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

4.  the_dobbys@msn.com

> From: Shirley Dobbins
>
> Comments:
>
> As a former school bus driver in the state of Ohio, I think this
> proposed law is rediculous for a few reasons; 1. School bus injuries
> inside as well as outside the bus are minimal already 2. Tests have
> shown that in a frontal crash situation with school buses equipped
> with seat belts the students received more neck injuries due to just
> their head hitting the seaf in front of them instead of a whole body
> hit  3. In a roll-over, water submersion, fire etc. how could the bus
> driver ever get back to unbuckle panicky young students in time to
> save their lives. I know I wouldn\'t want that hanging over my head
> that I couldn\'t help them. 4. The seats on school buses currently in
> that state of Ohio are way too tall. You cannot see the children as it
> is. How would a busdriver know if a child was choking, having a
> seizure etc. if they can\'t be seen. I know of a few instances in our
> school district where younger children have been prey to older
> students and the bus driver was totally unaware anything was going on.
> Hello!!!! What are you guys thinking??? 5. Not to mention, our school
> districts are already financially strapped, cutting jobs, closing
> school buildings. Why would you want to put an additional burden on
> them to have to shovel out money they don\'t have on compliance
> issues. I have to wonder what you people are thinking about. School
> buses are already the safest vehicles on the roads. Put some serious
> thought into this!!!!! Feel free to contact me anytime! Shirley
> Dobbins (740) 502-4868.

5.  thequeen21@comcast.net

> From: Janice Jackson
>
> Comments:
>
> THANK GOD\--WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING FOR\--THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN
> DONE DECADES AGO\--
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

6.  cardmaster1@verizon.net

> From: David M. Payne Sr
>
> Comments:
>
> It is Clear As Glass-Seat Belts should be required on ALL school buses
> and should have been required a LONG TIME AGO! Plain and simple.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

7.  alisblugwn@aol.com

> From: Alice DeHart
>
> Comments:
>
> I am a retired (30 years) school bus driver in California, both
> regular Ed and Special needs students of all ages.  Raising and
> padding the seat backs and making a cocoon like environment is best on
> larger busses.  Also adding a strip of padding on the inside wall just
> under the window to protect the little kids\' heads is a good idea.
> Seatbelts can become weapons: Just slide the buckle to the end of the
> belt and wack whoever is in striking distance.  Also, belts and
> buckles will be dropped in the aisle where students will trip and
> fall.
>
> The passenger capacity of busses is based on small childrens body
> measurements, a 79 passenger coach will not hold 79 high school
> students safely or comfortably; in fact, it is down right dangerous to
> put that many high school students on a bus rated for second graders
> bodies.  Please consider student sizes when rating passenger
> capacity.  I am available for consulting by email if you are
> interested.  Thank you.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

8.  phylrusso@comcast.net

> From: Phyllis J. Russo
>
> Comments:
>
> I had a friend who almost 40 years ago when my children were
> youngsters proposed and campaigned for this. What took you
> soooooooooooo long?
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

9.  Yyakkeyb@msn.com

> From: Barbara Yakkey
>
> Comments:
>
> I find it incongruous that in this day and age we require children to
> be seat belted in to their family cars and not on a school bus.  A
> school bus is top heavy by it\'s very nature, we give our drivers a
> minimum amount of training and then send them out to transport what we
> consider to be our most precios cargo.  Does this make sense to any
> one?  And yet we
>
> do nothing to change it.  Higher seat backs are not the solution it
> just makes it easier to get hurt in your own seat!
>
> Where does the common sense begin with the safety of our children? I
> do know what I ma saying in that I drove a school bus for many years, 
> and just recently rode as a moniter on one in New York. ( Where the
> children who were special needs children were buckled up) go figure. 
> Does this really not make sense?
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

10. kshand@paonline.com

> From: Kimberly Hand
>
> Comments:
>
> I read about the recommendation regarding adding seatbelts to school
> buses.  First, I would like to make a recommendation that the spacing
> between the seats be increased to accomodate teenagers.  I rode in a
> standard school bus on a field trip with my son and my knees were
> jammed into the seat in front of me.  I am only 5\' 4\", but I can\'t
> imagine how a full sized teenage boy would be able to fit in a
> standard school bus.  The second recommendation is to mandate that all
> public schools teach driver\'s education.  It is voluntary in
> Pennsylvania and our state is rated as one of the worst states in
> driver compentancy ratings.
>
>  
>
>  Thank you,
>
>  Kim Hand

11. stevebagdon@cox.net

> From: Stephen C Bagdon
>
> Comments:
>
> This is absolutely a \"no brainer\"! ANY VEHICLE that transports kids
> should be equipped to the fullest extent possible with safety devices
> that reduce injury in the event of a collision/crash. We all know how
> the introduction of seat belts into autos reduced the death and injury
> rate. Seat belts should be mandatory on ALL new school buses
> regardless of size. If the Feds cannot help with cost then phase in a
> reasonable percentage of fleet compliance over 5 years. You have to
> start somewhere. We are talking about our kids and fellow Americans.
> Come on, get started already!
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

12. hopf7@hotmail.com

> From: Angela Jane Hopf
>
> Comments:
>
> Dear Sir,
>
> Are their going to be seat belts in all school buses even in ontario
> or just the states? I think  their should make it mantory for all
> buses.                   angela
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

13. duffysue41@hotmail.com

> From: Suzanne Duffy
>
> Comments:
>
> I do NOT think seatbelts are a good idea for large school buses.  I
> feel it would be VERY DIFFICULT to rescue children in a tmely manner
> if seatbelts were used.  There will be kids , especially middle and
> high school students, that will not wear them, leaving the bus driver
> liable.  There are very few bus accidents, and usually these are
> minor. It would be utter chaos.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

14. kpeckham@mailpuppy.com

> From: Kurt Peckham
>
> Comments:
>
> Good luck trying to enforce the seat belt regulations\... especially
> for rebellious high schoolers.  Just turn the seats around backwards. 
> That way, in case of a sudden stop, the body is thrown INTO the seat,
> instead of out of it, and it\'s kind of hard not to deal with it, like
> not buckling up is\...no good for roll-overs tho.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

15. alclayconb@comcast.net

> From: Ann Claycomb
>
> Comments:
>
> I applaud the proposed law to make school buses safer.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

16. jngarner@gte.net

> From: John Garner
>
> Comments:
>
> All thought School Busses certainly need seat belts, one of the
> biggest dangers is over crowding.
>
> Some times School Buses are so crowded that as many as three high
> school students have to share one seat. as a result one is too far out
> in the asle and if a sudden emergency stop is made, that student or
> students is at risk of serious engery.
>
> It should be a law that no high school students should ride more than
> two in a seat, also no middle schoiol students should ride over two in
> a seat. Elementary students can ride three in a seat saftely.
>
> Not only is the over crowding likly to cause personel engery but can
> be the cause of fights between students.
>
> I have driven a School bus.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

17. seh4cars@yahoo.com

> From: scott hawkins
>
> Comments:
>
> It sems to me that by your own research, that students are incredibly
> safe.  By my own casual observation, it seems the problems with school
> bus wrecks is caused by driver-error.  Therefore, if there is any
> improvement that needs to be addressed it would be the driver.  To be
> precise I believe seatbelts would be a waste of money, as they would
> never be used, and they are not necessary.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Scott E. Hawkins
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

18. kcn_7b3@comcast.net

> From: james casian
>
> Comments:
>
> I am a school bus driver.  I am a retired pilot.  I had 17 flight
> attendance to assist in an evacuation.  What would happen if a school
> bus gets \"T\" boned and the bus is filling up with smoke and the
> driver is trapped.  WHO is going to get those kids out of the seats.
> Maybe it\'s time for me to retire from driving too.  I don\'t want to
> see those kids burn up in a bus.  NOT ON MY WATCH 
>
> This is a big mistake, trust me.  
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

19. robertgiffen@hotmail.com

> From: Robert Giffen
>
> Comments:
>
> Spending millions of dollars on seat belts to POSSIBLY save the lives
> of fewer than 8 school children each year is the height of absurdity. 
> Who will monitor their usage?  What\'s next\...mandatory crash
> helmets?  (Don\'t laugh\...the insurance lobby will be working on that
> one for ALL automobile occupants soon enough).

20. fyockha@yahoo.com

> From: Harry Fyock
>
> Comments:
>
>    As a former school bus driver in NY State I believe that the 
> height of seat backs in busses create a serious problem in that a
> driver cannot see what is happening in the seats. This is because
> students can hide  behind the  high seats making it impossible to
> observe  behavior by use of the mirror.
>
>   A suggestion I propse  to make  students more safe in busses is to
> reverse teh seats so that the  students will be  riding backwards.
> With this seating configuration children  would  only be pressed
> agains the  seat  backing rather than tossed  into the back of the
> seat in front of them.
>
>   Seat  belts would make removal of students near  impossible in a
> roll over  condition where  a  fire would  be a distinct  possibility.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

21. scott@wolff.net

> From: scott
>
> Comments:
>
> I applaud your efforts to encourage seat belts in school buses. Today,
> Nov. 19. 2007, there was a school bus rollover in my town of Santa Fe,
> NM. Twelve children were injured, fortunately, none fatally, though
> there were broken bones and trauma  that would not have occurred with
> belts on that bus. As a father and a citizen, I encourage you to push
> harder for this.
>
> Thank you.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

22. wattscroft@aol.com

> From: Marcelle Svenson
>
> Comments:
>
> I am relieved to hear school bus seat belts are being planned.  The
> real problem is not so much traveling in the buses to and from school,
> but when the buses are used for long distance sports or band
> transportation and they are out on the highways at high speeds with no
> seat belts.  Kids traveling on an interstate in a school bus at 55 MPH
> or higher, should have seat belts.   I have two children in the local
> school district and I worry a great deal about these longer trips out
> on the highways in the dark, rain or snow, with high speed traffic,
> and no seat belts.
>
> Marcelle Svenson
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

23. ddwynes@yahoo.com

> From: Daniel Wynes
>
> Comments:
>
> Secretary Peters Catches Bus to School, Proposes New Safety Rules for
> School Buses.
>
> Sirs:
>
>      In reference to the above proposal, the controversey on seat
> belts is overwelming.  Why not propose using reversed seating and let
> the seat backs impact absorption with no belts?
>
>                                           Daniel Wynes
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

24. antiquecarguy@hotmail.com

> From: Ralph V. Imes, Jr.
>
> Comments:
>
> In my opinion, we can go overboard on thinking safety.  Seat belts in
> school buses may slow down or prohibit children from excaping safely
> if the bus should catch fire, or some other emergency that requires
> quick excape.  Also at a time of tight bugets, I think that it may
> take away from what is being spent in the classroom\...education as a
> whole would suffer!
>
> When I was in school (I am currently 44 yrs old) My school had a 1969
> International school bus with low seats\...It was not a problem!  I
> currently own that bus and you are welcome to check it out\...I think
> that the government can get just a little overzealous at times.  I
> think we are becoming a little OVERPROTECTIVE\... Thank you for your
> time.

25. laurierivera01@comcast.net

> From: Laurie Rivera
>
> Comments:
>
> the new proposed changes do not go far enough. It is CRIMINAL that
> seat belts are required in cars but not school buses.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

26. gandsplumbing@embarqmail.com

> From: Lynette Russell
>
> Comments:
>
> Since you can\'t move that school bus with seat belts or without seat
> belts unless you have a school bus driver, and the driver should be
> the best trained and most regulated safety conscious person available,
> it would seem you should start with National regulations for that
> driver of that school bus. Kansas can allow someone drive a school bus
> that cannot pass a physical, have a hit and run accident, etc. all
> they need is a unanimous vote of a school board that doesn\'t have a
> clue about driving that school bus. This need to be changed. The
> vehicle isn\'t going anywhere without a driver. How can you put
> someone unqualified in there to drive? Oh yeah, it\'s too hard to get
> drivers and keep the good ones. Make the profession a profession
> worthy of the job and responsibility required.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

27. nelllis@revere.k12.oh.us

> From: Nila Ellis
>
> Comments:
>
> After reading the DOT\'s Secretary announcement regarding a new
> federal proporposal to make school buses safer by requireing highter
> seat backs/setting new seat belt standards I am wondering if there
> will be Federal Highway Safety Funds make available for this
> inititive. 
>
> Thank you
>
> Nila Ellis, Revere Transportation
>
> 330-523-3119
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

28. melissa.caskey@insightbb.com

> From: Melissa L. Caskey
>
> Comments:
>
> U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters:
>
> I am writing regarding the new rules you proposed to improve the
> safety of school bus seats.  The idea to use shoulder belts is
> excellent.  My nine-year-old daughter, Mattilyn ride the bus to school
> everyday.  If she were to miss the bus and I drove her to school, she
> would be in the back seat with her seat belt on by law and my rule. 
> Why should it be any different when the school system takes her to
> school?
>
>   I read in a news report that you were going to allow the states the
> option of using federal highway safety und to purchase new buses with
> seat belts.  But you did not promise that any new money would be added
> to those funds to help cover the costs.  I was upset to read that you
> identified a problem, but left it up to the schools whether to resolve
> it.
>
>   I read a quote, "We want school district to make that decision,"
> noting that smaller buses don't carry as many student.  They'll make
> the decision about how to protect the most children within their
> areas."  Does this allow you to sleep at night?  Do you really think
> that it would make you any less responsible for the deaths of a few
> kids on a bus with no shoulder straps?  You took the easy way out. 
> Did you have children who rode a bus?  Do you have grandchildren who
> ride a bus?  Would it make it any less devastating if they were one of
> a few children injured in a bus accident on a field trip?  See even
> well off parent and grandparents have to rely on the school's
> transportation system every now and then. 
>
>   I pray for the sake of families everywhere that the schools are
> brave enough to make the decision you should have made.  All buses
> need 24-inch high seats and should belt.  You should not put a price
> tag on a child's life.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Melissa L. Caskey, mother of two and working nurse.

29. harryWintberg@webtv.net

> From: Harry Wintemberg
>
> Comments:
>
> Headline: Mary Peters proposes seat belts for schoolbuses. She
> obviously does not understand what would be involved to get children
> to buckle up and remain buckled in their seat. Further at an estimated
> cost of \$10,000 per bus, it would be a prohibitive cost for any
> school district to subsidize. The solution is very
> simple\...\...reverse the seats so the children ride backwards!
> Barring a rollover, the children would be protected many times over
> riding facing forward. There would be no significant cost involved and
> no disciplinnary action would be necessary to have the children
> comply. 
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

30. steveu1@optonline.net

> From: THERESA ULICNI
>
> Comments:
>
> I commend the NHTSA for finally improving safety standards for
> children.  You fell short in not REQUIRING seatbelts in all size
> buses.  Why should it be up to the school districts to decide if they
> can \"afford\" to keep our children as safe as possible? Maybe it\'s
> not worth the investment to some school districts. Perhaps if you gave
> consumers the option, some would choose to take their chances and
> purchase automobiles without seatbelts to save \$. For some reason,
> NHTSA believes it is important to require all drivers and passengers
> in private vehicles to use seatbelts (or risk getting a fine). We
> parents need the NHTSA to MANDATE the same safety standards for our
> children on the bus that they mandate for thos same children riding in
> a car!
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

31. morowskind@hotmail.com

> From: Joseph Morowski
>
> Comments:
>
> I am a former school bus driver of over seven years in the Fairbanks,
> Alaska area now residing in North Dakota.  I just want to make a
> statement and would appreciate a response from you if possible.  When
> I drove school bus in Alaska we were required to have the student SAT
> DOWN on the seats, at all times, while the school bus is in motion. 
> Why is it that it is not a Nationwide LAW requiring ALL students to be
> sat down at all times while the bus is in motion?  I know that this
> could only save lives.  Allowing students to move about and in the
> isles should be illegal in all states.  What is your opinion or facts
> on this subject?  Thanks for your time.  I am a grandfather now and
> picking up my grandsons at school everyday.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

32. shirley.hrubik@neomin.org,

> From: Shirley Hrubik
>
> Comments:
>
> I am a bus supervisor for our school.  I  am 5\'4\" tall and I have
> rode on a new bus.  The current seat, in my opinion, are high enough. 
> They give me and anyone smaller than me a too closed in feeling.  My
> suggestion would be to protect the students by making the bus safer. 
> Such as padded backs on the seats, padded side walls of the bus. 
> These areas when in an accident are completely vunerable.  The ceiling
> is solid metal with no protection if a roll over occurs.  I don\'t
> mean to make it like a tour bus but the industrial interior of a
> school bus is not comfortable.  The children are usually on the bus
> for a very short period of time and this ride COULD be more
> comfortable and pleasant.  I guess my question would be:  Have any of
> you on the board ever rode a \"new\" bus and seen what could be done
> better that making the seats feel like \"cages\" for the students. 
> Seat belts \-- good idea but how can you guarentee that a student will
> use them.  A driver doesn\'t have the means to make sure all 65 or 71
> students are \"buckled in correctly\". 
>
> Thank you for the opportunity to give you my opinion.
>
> From NHTSA Web Site

33. Songs4Alison@aol.com

> From: Alison Tayes
>
> Comments:
>
> I\'m confused.  It\'s ILLEGAL for our children to ride in cars without
> safety belts but it\'s PERFECTLY LEGAL for them NOT to wear them on
> school buses?  Why is nearly forty years of car safety data and
> awareness being completely ignored when it comes to our most precious
> cargo?  School buses also have no head rests which cause children to
> get whiplash and spinal injuries in accidents. All cars are required
> to have head rests - why aren\'t buses? There is no logical or
> reasonable explanation other than the government\'s utter negligence. 
> This bothers me to no end!   How can you justify this?  Why don\'t our
> children matter to you?
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

35\.

\> juju_baer@yahoo.com

\> From: Juli

\> Comments:

\> It is about time we actually did something and stopped just proposing
ideas. All vehicles have safety restraints except for the ones we put
our most precious commodities in. Our future leaders. Our children learn
it is OK to not wear a safety belt sometimes and that is ridiculous.
Seat belts should always be used in whatever vehicle you are riding in.
ESPECIALLY our children. Why don\'t we protect them until they can and
learn (by example) to protect themselves. How can we tell them it is not
safe to ride in a car without a seat belt and then send them to school
without them ? The ONE place where safety should be expected. Get with
the 1980\'s already \.... it is 2007. We can send space shuttles in
orbit but can\'t afford to protect our children. That is just insane.

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

\>

36\.

\> gary.e.robbins@navy.mil

\> From: Gary E. Robbins

\> Comments:

\> I noticed the proposed ruling on adding shoulder belts to school
busses. I am the License Examiner for NAVFAC NW Bremerton as we operate
school type busses for federal workers. The bus sizes are 36 passenger
and 56 passenger as we do not transport students to or for any school
district. Does this or will this affect us in any way?

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

37\.

\> cindyandbob.spangler@verizon.net,

\> From: Cindy Spangler

\> Comments:

\> I am glad to see the proposal to increase the height of school bus
seats to increase student safety. Just as important, however, is
limiting the number of passengers on a bus so that all students are
fully behind the barrier seatback in front of them. Larger elementary
students and most middle school students should be required by law to
sit two to a seat so that no part of a student\'s body is in the aisle
of the bus.

\>

\> This has been an issue brought to the attention of the administrators
and school board here in Lompoc, California this school year, but should
be a federal safety regulation.

\> Cindy Spangler

\> 2313 Carrizo

\> Lompoc, CA 93436

\> (805) 735-3255

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

38\.

\> tpuett@arnett.k12.ok.us,

\> From: Tim Puett

\> Comments:

\> The new emmissions standards has made a 57 passanger school bus cost
around \$65,000.00. The added cost of seat belts would be another
\$10,000.00. I don\'t know about other states but Oklahoma doesn\'t
support it schools finacial as they should. All transprotation must come
from the district monies or we have to pass a bond issue by 60% of the
vote of the patrons of the district. No one wants to have to pay new
taxes. We don\'t have \$75,000.00 each for new buses. every 6 years.

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

39\.

\> rubenken@cox.net

\> From: Kenneth E. Rubenstein

\> Comments:

\> Of course every single school bus of any size needs higher seat backs
and shoulder seat belts. How can we even think of not offering children
the same or better protections than adults have in cars. Any other
alternative is shameful.

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

40\.

\> uncanoonic53@yahoo.com

\> From: James Thompson

\> Comments:

\> The site I was directed to to comment on this topic is exemplary of
the rationale that has prevailed in the governments not acting on school
bus safety. This site is terrible, it is not user friendly, it is
disjointed and obtuse.

\>

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

41\.

\> info@barnhartgallery.com,

\> From: Kelly Barnhart

\> Comments:

\> Can\'t tell you how often the newsreel footage from a few years ago
of children being thrown across the bus plays in my mind as my son rides
out of sight each morning. I don\'t care what it costs to get kids
belted. I\'m a former member of the Institute of Traffic Engineers, and
the fact that we didn\'t have this law forty years ago is mind-numbing.
It\'s a must!

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

\>

42\.

\> cbowman@perimetertitle.com

\> From: Craig Bowman

\> Comments:

> I understand the costs involved and how \"safe\" school buses are. The
> majority of my property taxes go to the school and I want every child
> to have a shoulder seatbelt eqipped bus. I guarntee that some of the
> deaths that have occurred could have been prevented. Why do we care
> less about our children than ourselves?

From NHTSA Web Site.

> \>

43\.

> fleariddenvarmint@yahoo.com
>
> From: Laura Stick
>
> Comments:
>
> As a state certified school bus instructor, I would like to be assured
> that no proposal exists to equip long buses with lap belts. The
> distance from one seat to the next provides the opportunity for a
> passenger\'s neck to become severly injured if they are secured at the
> waist.
>
> In a rear end collusion, the face would be smashed on the seat in
> front of the student, causing the head of the student to snap back. At
> present, the body would fly forward and the chest would hit the
> padding in front of them.
>
> Three point shoulder harnesses provide 14-15 fewer spaces to sit,
> (obviously costing districts more for transportation) but are much
> safer than lap belts. Thank you for your attention.
>
> Laura Stick
>
> Ca. Dept. of Ed.
>
> Office of School Transportation
>
> Instructor \# 5013
>
> From NHTSA Web Site.

44\.

\> m.otte@sbcglobal.net

\> From: Melissa Otte

\> Comments:

\> I feel it is an excellent idea that is long overdue. Seat belts
belong

\> on school buses. However, the idea of using federal funds to retrofit
buses seems like a waste of tax payer dollars. In my area of the
country, schools use aprivate company for transporting children. These
companies have the ability to recoup the investment in seat belts by
raising the rates or using it as a tax deduction. If these companies
feel that the price of child saftey is too high they should be in a
different business.

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

\>

45\.

\> mark.cipriano@elmendorf.af.mil,

\> From: Mark Cipriano

\> Comments:

\> I personally cannot believe there haven\'t been seatbelts in buses
when it\'s a law, often enforceable via a primary-offense ticket, in all
states. Are our kids any less of a citizen to \"protect\"?

\> Putting seatbelts in won\'t do any good unless they are used. Making
the driver responsible for this will make bus-route times even longer
than they are\...

\> Has research been done on \"reversing\" the seats? Having students
sit so they are facing rearward would reduce forward-impact forces,
causing them to \"fly into\" their seat, instead of out of their seat.
This kind of seating is used on the US Air Force\'s C-5 Cargo
Aircraft\... rear-facing seats won\'t do any good without seatbelts (in
the case of a rollover), but it\'ll help in all instances to prevent
neck and back injuries.

\>

\> Mark Cipriano

\>

\> From NHTSA Web Site.

\>

46\.

\>

\> From: Bruce May

\> Comments:

\> I agree that seat belts are needed in school buses. Since school

\> buses are now used year round - air conditioning and air filtration

\> are also needed - especially in the south.

\>

\> Bruce May

\> 2106 Glenbrook Meadows Dr.

\> Garland, Texas 75040-4140

\> Phone: 972-495-7835

\> Fax: 972-496-3355

\> E-Mail: bruce.may@verizon.net

\> From NHTSA Web Site.