Rules OK'd for state school vans

10/2/2001

COLUMBUS - Hoping to resolve a dispute which had forced Gov. Bob Taft to intervene, a legislative committee yesterday approved rules on the use of vans to transport students to school activities.

“We are pleased these transportation safety rules were passed, allowing the decision of using vans and school buses to be made at the district level,” said Susan Tave Zelman, state superintendent of public instruction.

The rules require van drivers to have at least four hours of training, but state Rep. Grace Keans (R., Springfield) said legislation may be needed to resolve some of the concerns that unions have about the school-van rules.

Randy Weston, associate director of Ohio AFSCME United, said the union will evaluate how the rules work before pushing for any changes.