Of the 17,220 school buses inspected during the 2007-2008 school year, 90 percent or 15,503 buses passed. This represents an increase from 2007, when 89 percent or 15,448 buses passed inspection.

A Certificate of Excellence was presented to 384 school districts whose fleet achieved a 100 percent pass rate. An additional 56 districts received between 95 and 99 percent pass rates for their fleet.

"This is the most districts to receive a 100 percent pass rate since the MSP began conducting mandatory inspections in 1990," said Colonel Peter C. Munoz, Director of the MSP. "The high number of buses passing inspection exemplifies the commitment of school bus transportation managers to school bus safety, further ensuring a safe transportation system for Michigan's school children."

Buses that do not pass the inspection receive either a yellow or red tag. Yellow-tagged buses may continue to operate as long as the identified defect(s) is repaired within 60 days. A red-tagged bus is immediately placed out-of-service and cannot be used to transport pupils until the defect(s) is repaired.

During the 2007-2008 school year, MSP vehicle safety inspectors placed yellow tags on 344 buses, which represents two percent of the buses inspected, and red tags on 1,373 buses, representing eight percent of the buses inspected.

The Pupil Transportation Act (P.A. 187 of 1990) mandates the MSP inspect each school bus annually. The complete results by school district are available on the MSP Web site, www.michigan.gov/msp.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Sgt. Sharron VanCampen, MSP Traffic Safety Division, (517) 336-6417