Pics from the school bus class

[Judi]

This class is open to anyone, not just techs. In my class (the first in Oregon), we had people from school districts and bus companies and also techs, instructors.

The pic is a bus FULL of SafeGuard Star seats, with a few Sceneras and snugrides thrown in. The Star is for bus use only. Two straps wrap around the back of the bus seat, and one around the front.



From the back of the bus.



Lowest harness height, 13 inches.



Highest, 20.5 inches.



3 across.





With a kiddo.

[Judi]

Next is the SafeGuard School Bus seat. The harness measured 14.5 inches.





Just for the heck of it, I installed my Radian. Had to twist the belt stalk 3 times.





Due to compartmentalization, space is, well, tight.

If the belt stalk is way to long, a belt shortening clip can be added to the buckle side.

[Misty-Bug]

that is really cool

[celtic1885]

very cool! thanks for sharing

[Pixels]

Is the bottom back of the RFing Radian (near child's hips) even on the seat?

[Mama!]

We have harnesses on our bus too. Ds rode in one and I was able to put him in there and adjust it in 2 seconds flat for a good fit.

I'm surprised the Safeguard was so low. Is it mostly for really young toddlers?

[Maedze]

Awesome

[Judi]

Is the bottom back of the RFing Radian (near child's hips) even on the seat?

Good catch! I did fix it. barely fit!

We have harnesses on our bus too. Ds rode in one and I was able to put him in there and adjust it in 2 seconds flat for a good fit.

I'm surprised the Safeguard was so low. Is it mostly for really young toddlers?

I think they use them for children over 40 lbs, or if they have outgrown the Scenera.

[Pixels]

When it's such a tight fit and obviously braced, how can you be sure that it's a tight install and not just because of bracing? In regular vehicles I would move the front seat out of the way, check for movement without them touching, then put the seat back. Obviously you can't do that with a school bus.

ETA questions about the Safeguard school bus seat: What are the two metal things at the top of the seat near the center for? Did anybody else notice that both latchplates are backwards on the 3-pt belts on that seat? Does it drive anybody else NUTS?

[Judi]

At the belt path, like I always do. The snugrides you see, the bus drivers installed. When we came you to check out the buses, someone took the seat off the base, at it was loose. They THOUGHT it was tight because of the bracing. They really should use the snugride without base. It fits sooooo much better!

[xursusmaritimusx]

thats really cool.

where i work, i see tons of kids come in on school buses for field trips and i always sneak a peak inside the buses.

a lot of them around here are using harnesses like the ones you posted here with the small kids. it made me happy

[Starlight]

I really wish our district had harnesses and such. They use parent supplied seats in 12 passenger vans, and it's basically 6 special needs kids ages 3 & 4 on a bus w/ 1 driver (no aide) - 4 in backless boosters and ds and 1 other petite girl in harnessed seats (him in the Chase, her in an AO that I'm pretty sure she's too tall for.)

[Unregistered1]

Great pics! Our daycare kids' seats look like the safeguard integrated seats, but they have a different company name on them. The harness height is much higher though, because A fits with room to grow and she's on the top slots of her GN. The weight limit on them is 50 lbs, and honestly I highly doubt a child even with those top slots would be under 50 lbs, and this is after seeing A's skinny little butt in one.

I like those STAR restraints, but in that top harness position the kids, heads would be over the seat backs, right? So risk of whiplash? Do they just not worry about that or do they not use them up that high?

Have you discussed anything about the issue of lap belted passengers riding behind harnessed passengers? Is this safe? I've heard there is one type of bus in which the seats are double reinforced so that an unrestrained (well, relying on compartmentalization) child can ride behind a harnessed child but I'm not sure if our bus is like this or not, so far I've just been trying to keep the harnessed kids in back regardless.

Also, have you talked about whether it's safer for a school aged child (5-8 years old, too big for harness) to ride in a lap only belt or unrestrained relying on just the compartmentalization? This is something I've wondered about with our daycare kids as well.

How did you find out about the class? I'd really like to take it since this is an issue I deal with at work, but I'm not sure how to find out about one in my area.

[Wineaux]

I know I was incredibly impressed with the STAR restraints when I took the class. I left thinking every school district should have every little kid riding the bus in one. Not only did it keep them in a 5-point harness, but it kept their butts in the seats for the entire ride. No running around, standing up, and other unsafe horseplay that most every little kid does in a school bus.

[ketchupqueen]

Question about the STARs: if a child was using it at or really close to the top harness height, would they have adequate head restraint?

[Judi]

Good question. It would be reeeeallly close, edging on the um, no side.

[MustangMama]

I don't know how I missed this thread but that is AWESOME!!

[Judi]

Thanks!

[ketchupqueen]

Judi, did they cover the need for head restraint in the class?

[Judi]

They really didn't. The pics make it look like the shoulders would be farther up than they actually would be.