A father and son team is celebrating their 17th state victory with a powerful solution to the one of the school bus industry’s most troubling problems, illegal passing. The Ohio School Bus Advisory Group has just approved the Gardian Angel® school bus lighting system and added wording to include it in their latest revision of approved options for Ohio school buses. “Having our home state finally see the light is wonderful! We’ve been looking forward to this day and a special thanks to Ohio State Highway Patrol, Lieutenant Aaron J. Reimer for communicating effectively with us during the approval process”, says Steve Gardner.
Founder and Inventor, Steve Gardner and his son Andrew Gardner have worked tirelessly for the last 8 years proving their bus parts and accumulating credibility among leading transportation officials and committees across the U.S. The positive effect of proactively combating stop arm violations by the Gardian Angel® has already been tested, proven, and documented by school transportation industry leaders across the Nation. The Gardner’s have received the honor of having the LED lighting system available as optional equipment to school buses in the following 17 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Gardian Angel® is specifically listed in manuals such as North Carolina’s School Transportation Fleet Manual and is also endorsed by the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation.
Gardian Angel® is an exterior lighting system that easily attaches to a school bus that delivers the most advanced technologies to combat stop arm violations and minimizes the public safety risks to students who rely upon school transportation. This approved option also raises the bar for the current state construction standards as well as exceeds the current Federal Standards. This school bus safety feature is meant to reduce the rates of illegally passing incidents, as well as to help the driver see better in dark, decrease the unloading and loading zone injures and/or fatalities, and aids in the prevention of possible collisions.
With the approved option, drivers can clearly see the students in darkness. The pedestrians have a lit path walking towards the bus and traffic in front of bus and behind the bus can clearly see pedestrians walking towards the school bus in darkness. This is all possible because of the 1,000 lumen white LED flood light which shines out the side of the front of the bus. The safety feature is aimed at the ground and provides a ground wash effect no less than 15 feet from the bus. The system automatically turns on when the red lights are activated, and turn off when the entrance door of the bus is closed.
Ohio is requiring Gardian Angel®’s white LED light to be a forward facing undercarriage light which shall activate with the Red warning lights and stay on until the service door closes. This differs from other states requirement of the Gardian Angel® as Ohio will mount under the bus as opposed to other states requiring the system to be mounted on the front bumper. Gardian Angel, LLC reminds customers to check with state requirements for specific mounting locations as they may vary.
Prior to making their final decision, the Ohio School Bus Advisory Group heard testimony from trainer/bus driver, Tammy Spivey, who with 40 years’ experience driving school buses and trained drivers in 2 states, gave a brief heartfelt speech as she was one of the drivers that tested out the lighting system on one of the 2014 and 2015 type D Bluebird buses for Swanton Public Schools. Her testimony ended with the words, “Even if it only saved one life, wouldn't it be worth it?" If that one life was one of your own children, or grandchild, wouldn't that make today’s decision to allow the Gardian Angel®, in the state of Ohio, one of the best decisions you ever made?”
School districts may begin purchasing Gardian Angel’s for their fleet at www.gardianangelllc.com
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