Local school districts generally fared well in the Missouri Highway Patrol's annual bus inspection report.
One district even qualified for the MSHP's Total Fleet Excellence Award.
"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," MSHP Superintendent Col. Eric Olson said. "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 Highway Patrol personnel during the 2019 program. Of all buses inspected, 89.3 percent were approved by inspection personnel with no defective items noted during inspection.
MSHP inspectors look over every in-use school bus in every bus fleet across the state. Buses that have no defects are rated approved; buses with defects that don't constitute an immediate danger are "defective;" and buses with defects that cause immediate danger are rated "out-of-service."
Defective buses may be operated until repairs are made; districts have 10 days to complete repairs before the buses are re-inspected. Out-of-service buses must be repaired and reinspected before being placed back into service.
Buses not presented for re-inspection within the required 10-day period are reported to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
This year, 261 Missouri school districts earned the MSHP's Total Fleet Excellence Award, obtaining an approval rating of 90 percent or higher with no buses placed out-of-service. South Callaway R-2 was among those districts, with a 100 percent approval rating.
Here's how the fleets of local school districts performed.
Fulton 58: Of 33 buses, 32 were approved (an approval rating of 97 percent). One was put out-of-service.
North Callaway R-1: Of 21 buses, 16 were approved (an approval rating of 76.2 percent). Two were deemed defective, and three were out-of-service.
South Callaway R-2: All 18 buses in the South Callaway fleet passed inspection.
New Bloomfield R-3: Of 11 buses, nine were approved (an approval rating of 81.8 percent). One bus was deemed defective, and another was rated out-of-service.