State Representative Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) recently took to the press to highlight a win for local school districts in Miami and Darke Counties, with a sum of $140,125 in grant funding earmarked for school bus safety improvements. The funds were part of a larger $10 million allowance set aside in the state operating budget, meant to help schools upgrade their bus fleets with the latest in safety tech—the kind that promises to keep our kids a bit safer on their way to and from school.
Each district was given the flexibility to essentially decide how best to spend the money, with the broad goal of boosting fleet safety. Newman was quoted talking up the initiative: "The State of Ohio is investing in our children’s education and safety. These funds will strengthen further our already excellent safety standards on school buses by adding modern safety features," in a statement reported by his official release.
The grants were divided among a number of school districts, with Bethel snagging the lion's share at $40,616. Troy City wasn't too far behind with $23,325. Funds were also allocated to the Bradford Exempted Village, Covington Exempted Village, Piqua City, Arcanum-Butler, Franklin Monroe, and Tri-Village districts, among others. The awarded amounts varied but were all directed towards the shared mission of ensuring a safer transit for students.
The Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program appears to be quite inclusive, as every district that put forward an application with eligible equipment needs secured an award. The money can be used to add to either the sparkly new buses or retrofit existing ones with advanced safety tech. In a world where transport risks are ever-present, steps like these are vital in trying to keep our youngest and most vulnerable citizens out of harm's way as much as we can manage.
