INFORMATION LETTER:  68

POLICY CODE:  EEA

 

 

TO:              All Superintendents of Schools, Business Managers, and Transportation Supervisors

 

FROM:        Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner

 

DATE:         May 2, 2003

 

RE:              Roof Structure Failure in Carpenter Buses – Update Information

 

 

         The School Bus Information Council has issued an update regarding the structural problem prevalent in certain Carpenter body equipped school buses.  The update provides additional details regarding the identification of school buses involved in the problem, instructions for inspecting the buses, pictures of the defect, and guidelines to assist in the decision of whether defective buses should be taken out of service.  The National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) is working to develop a recommended repair procedure and expects to provide that information in the near future.

 

         You can access this information at the following website: http://www.schoolbusinfo.org/.  When you open the website, click on “Press Releases” and then select “Carpenter School Bus Update”. 

 

         Please provide the findings to Harvey Boatman, Pupil Transportation Specialist for the Department of Education at harvey.boatman@maine.gov, as soon as you complete the inspection of the Carpenter bus bodies. 

 

The Department will provide a summary of the fiscal impact to the Governor and to the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services as soon as we have this information from all districts.

 

         Thank you for your continued attention to this serious safety issue.