Drivers Get No Raise; "I think we're all in this recession together"

From our Nation's Press: Totman Enterprises, the contractor that serves schools in Marshfield, Mass., turned down pay raises for its 25 employees in order to reduce its contract price by $100,000 and avoid instituting a transportation fee. Martha Totman, the owner of the company told WickedLocal.com:

"I think we’re all in this recession together, and in order to get out of it, we have to get out of it together ... My drivers are terrific people and most live in Marshfield, and this affects us all. With the lack of stability in our school system, it’s hard when you don’t know whether you’re going to have a job or programs cut. And we hoped we could make it a little easier"

What's going on where you live? Are you getting COLA increases? Raises? Pink slips?

Troopers Impressed by Seating Chart After Crash

Missouri state troopers were impressed by what they found after a non-fatal school bus crash last week: a seating chart that put each kid to a seat. Sgt. Dale Moreland with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said he thinks it's a good idea for every school to do this.

"Normally I think a practice as that they're seated kind of the way they're picked up and children have their choices, but for safety reasons it would make sense to seat them together ... Smaller children together, large children together. That would help prevent injuries in a crash."

What does your operation do? Are there reasons not to do this? Are there better ways?

Also online and worth reading:

• How school bus driver made it into Parade Magazine's annual salary survey. Also, how driver's salary stacks up against well-paid pet sitter.
  
• Maine looks at law that would require bicycles to stop for school buses. Legislators noted that cyclists had nearly run down some young children exiting their buses. Have you seen this? Does your town/state have a policy or law for bicycles?