On the "short bus" : 5-pt harness or nothing ?

I just got the paperwork for Bear's school next year.
Transportation is available, though I'm not sure if it's an option we'll use or not.

Either way, I need to fill out the paperwork.

For the school bus (should we choose to use it), my options are :
- on the bus seat only
- in a car seat
- in a wheel chair

Bear will be 4 yrs, 9 mns when he starts school.
Currently, he weighs about 42 lbs.

My mommy 'gut' says that if it's possible for him to be in a 5-pt harness, that would be the best option, but I don't know if that would actually be true in a bus, when I don't know who will be installing the seat, or how well !

I would be confortable without a seat.

Judi said:

I would be confortable without a seat.

Click to expand...

Why ? How do you get to the point of being comfortable with that ?

We have rode the city bus, obviously restraint-less.

Sorry, I should have said more. Buses are compartmentalized. So that makes them safe, plus, well they are buses. They are bigger than most everything else on the road. The whole "most lug nuts wins" thing.

With the 5 pt harness, who knows how they will install. I rarely see drivers install correctly.

I am unfamilar with your situation. Does Bear use a wheelchair regularly? If he does, be sure that your wheelchair permits to be used in a motor vehicle. Most wheelchairs need special brackets when used as sitting in the bus. The bus also needs to have lap/shoulder restraints if he is to be sitted and transported while in the chair. I went through a situation with our school's transportation department where they were transporting a child in a wheelchair that did not meat FMVSS for transportation. The bus would not transfer the child (child was regular size for a 3/4 year old- around 40 pounds) out of the wheelchair and into the star seat because if was "policy" to transport said child in her wheelchair. I went round and round with these people. I asked to be shown where it was policy. They then said it was "their practice" to transport child in wheelchair. I went in person and talked with the director of the school transportation. She got really offended when I asked about special needs transport and certifications. She said she was state certified in special needs and passenger safety. We were finally able to actually talk when we both calmed down. I showed her where in the wheelchair manual it stated that child could not be transported in wheelchair and the matter was settled.

But it did concern me that it was "policy" and then "practice".
What about the other children who are transported while in their chairs? The director said it was up to the parents to know the chair and manual...

Anyway- sorry for the long story but just had to share.

--Donna

Bear is not in a wheelchair.

There will be children on the same bus who are, which is why it's one of the options available.

For him, it's either in the bus seat, or in a car seat.

Oh ok. M dd2 is on a short bus for her early childhood preschool and she rides in a star seat. It is a five point harness that's attached to the bench seat. She is big for her age as well... (45" and about 52 pounds) and she seems to be fine on the bus.

My dd is 4y5m and rides a "short bus" to her blended inclusion pre-school class (she is a SNK). She is 40" and 36.5 pounds. She rides in an Evenflo Chase. I would in no way be comfortable with her in the bus w/o a five-point harness. I don't think the bus driver would transport her with out it. A Parent tried to put her child on the bus with a high back booster (lap belt only in the bus, no integrated restraints) Driver would not do it and would not transport lap belt only(no restraint). Driver was backed up by her supervisors. I ave seen our driver install the seat and she does a great job, however, I was always nervous about teh return trip as I could never have "eyes on" the install.

DD3 has rode the bus since a few weeks after she turned 4 (no CR). I am comfortable with it. :twocents:

I'd use a car seat on a short bus with other kids restrained. If it was a full-size bus and/or the other kids were not restrained, it might change my opinion.

Oh, and if bus-specific 5-points were available, I'd use those, rather than a conventional CR, as it's my opinion that they probably do better on buses. To the point that I might contact EZ-On and buy one myself.

do they have the stars seat available? I would ask the district to provide one for your son. This is one of my students in one of these seats. He doesnt have the orange lap belt part on yet or the shoulder guides in the correct position (took the pic before we finished totally strapping him in) but you will get the idea.

I have a similar question. My son's daycare (he's 4.5, normal height/weight) is taking them on a trip in a school bus and the only restraint is a lap belt. I am very concerned, and think they should be in 5 point harnesses, even on a bus. Am I wrong?

My 3 YO started at-risk pre-k and it's a short bus. Lap belt only.
BUT I asked for a Stars seat and they said no...

I finally got them to provide an EZ On vest, so he has that.
It's a pain to put on and every second counts getting him out the door...

He is almost 50 lbs. and as tall as a 6-year-old.
Should we continue the EZ-On next year? He'd be 4.5 years old (he just turned 4 this month actually).

In a collision wouldn't a lap belt, um, be really dangerous? Slamming his upper body forward?

But exiting in an emergency would be difficult with all these straps. I know they have a cutter, but still. Starz seats would have been SO much easier, and in my opinion, safer. Much easier to get out of, too.