A total of 27 school buses were inspected in Daviess County during the 2019 annual school bus inspection program conducted by the Highway Patrol’s Driver and Vehicle Safety Division. The results were announced recently by Colonel Eric T. Olsen, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
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Of all buses inspected, 14 were “approved” by inspection personnel with no defective items noted during inspection.
One Daviess County school district earned the Patrol’s Total Fleet Excellence Award, obtaining an approval rating of 90% or higher with no buses placed out-of-service. Tri-County R-7 at Jamesport had a 100% approval rating with all three of its buses approved on inspection. During the 2019-2020 school year, buses in these award-winning fleets are eligible to display the Total Fleet Excellence sticker in the lower corner of the first window on the passenger-entry side of the bus.
Company Buses Presented # Buses Approved Approval % # Buses Defective Defective % # Buses Out of Service Out of Service %
Gallatin R-V 11 6 54.5% 4 36.4% 1 9.1%
North Daviess R-III 3 1 33.3% 2 66.7% 0 0.0%
Pattonsburg R-II 5 2 40.0% 3 60.0% 0 0.0%
Tri-County R-VII 3 3 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Winston R-VI 5 2 40.0% 0 0.0% 3 60.0%
Buses having one or more defective items which do not constitute an immediate danger are rated as “defective.” Daviess County had nine buses rated as defective: Gallatin – 4, North Daviess – 2; Pattonsburg – 3. Buses rated as “defective” may continue to be operated for the purpose of transporting students until repair is made. School districts are allowed 10 days following initial inspection to repair identified defects before being re-inspected by Highway Patrol motor vehicle inspection personnel.
Buses with a defective item which constitutes an immediate danger are rated as “out-of-service.” Daviess County had four buses rated as out-of-service: Gallatin – 1; Winston – 3. Buses rated as “out-of-service” must be repaired, re-inspected, and then placed back into service by Highway Patrol motor vehicle inspection personnel prior to transporting students. Buses not presented for re-inspection within the required 10-day period are reported to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“The Missouri State Highway Patrol works closely with schools and private pupil transportation companies to ensure our students have safe transportation to and from school-related events. This professional relationship is most evident during the annual school bus inspection and results in a successful program,” said Colonel Olson. “The annual school bus inspection program is just one way the Missouri State Highway Patrol serves and protects our children and it will remain a priority.”
A total of 11,958 school buses across the state of Missouri were inspected by Missouri State Highway Patrol personnel during the 2019 program. Of all buses inspected, 89.3% were approved by inspection personnel with no defective items noted during inspection.