March 6, 2019, Baldwinsville, NY — The Baldwinsville Central School District is continuing to lead the way in school bus safety by going above and beyond what is required by state and federal regulators with the purchase of eight new buses with the most advanced collision mitigation and electronic stability control systems available on the market.
With a near-perfect school bus inspection rating from the New York State Department of Transportation (98.4%) and one of the highest ratings among school districts in the region, Baldwinsville Central School District (CSD) is doing more than what is mandated to bring even greater safety features to its fleet of school buses.
“Nothing is more important than safety,” said Baldwinsville CSD Transportation Supervisor Dana Nelson. “While we are very proud of our team and near perfect DOT safety inspection rating, our team is always striving to do better so that we can meet the school transportation safety needs of the families served by our school district.”
Baldwinsville CSD could have chosen the basic accident avoidance system by Bendix (Wingman Advanced), but instead they chose to be a school bus safety leader and invested in Bendix (Wingman Fusion) the most comprehensive collision mitigation and electronic stability controls systems available on a school bus today.
Bendix Wingman Fusion combines camera, radar and braking technologies to deliver enhanced collision mitigation. By combining camera and radar information, the system is able to provide features such as lane departure warnings, overspeed warnings and enhanced braking capabilities, all of which are unique to the Bendix Wingman Fusion system. By integrating these additional technologies and features, the Bendix Wingman Fusion system is able to provide alerts and mechanical interventions, which helps the school bus driver avoid crashes or reduce their severity; thus, significantly enhancing school bus safety.
In addition to purchasing school buses with the most advanced electronic stability control and collision mitigation available, Baldwinsville CSD is one of the first school districts in the area to install supplemental warning lights to increase visibility on all of the district’s school buses – another indication of the school district going above and beyond what is required.
The school district conducted in-depth product research and spoke to other school transportation professionals familiar with the various systems prior to purchasing the new school buses.
“A well-managed school bus fleet is an important factor in saving precious transportation dollars, but it is even more important to the safety of the children riding the school buses,” said Leonard Bus Sales Vice President Jon Leonard. “We take our commitment to the Baldwinsville Central School District very seriously. As a partner and trusted advisor, we work with the district to understand their school transportation safety and efficiency needs. We then provide them properly equipped school buses, and the customized support, training, and education they need to make it easier for them to do their job.”
North American school bus manufacturer, IC Bus, made national news recently when the company’s school buses, equipped with the same electronic stability control and collision mitigation systems by Bendix, were featured on NBC’s today show.
About:The Baldwinsville Central School District lies about 10 miles northwest of Syracuse. The district is the third largest suburban public school system in Onondaga County, covering approximately 75 square miles and serving a little over 5,500 students in eight buildings. The district has five elementary schools (K-5), one middle school (grades 6 & 7), one junior high (grades 8 & 9), and one high school (grades 10-12). About 900 instructional and support staff work for the district.
About: Leonard Bus Sales, Inc. is owned and operated by the Leonard family, a recognized leader in the distribution and support of quality, environmentally-friendly school buses. A third-generation family owned business, Leonard Bus Sales has been providing cost-saving fleet management services and award-winning customer support for over fifty-years. Leonard Bus Sales is a leading distributor of IC BusTM brand school buses in Upstate New York and distributes Trans Tech Type-A school buses throughout New York. The company operates full-service facilities in Bergen, Deposit, Middletown, Rome, and Saratoga Springs.