CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools operates more than 500 school buses that could face a recall from the manufacturer, the school district confirmed to WCNC NBC Charlotte Friday.
The CMS bus fleet contains more than 500 Thomas Built C2 school buses, according to the district. The manufacturer, Thomas Built Buses, has issued a recall for the C2 and other models.
Thomas Built Buses has recalled more than for 53,000 of its buses due to a problem with impact absorption. The recall affects certain 2014-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner EFX, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses equipped with SynTec S3B or S3C seats.
According to the National Highway Track Saftey Administration (NHTSA), the seats may have been manufactured with styrene blocks. The concern is the blocks may not provide sufficient impact absorption. During a crash, the absorption is intended to shield a passenger from the steel seat frame of the seat in front of them.
To resolve the problem, additional impact material can be added to the vinyl back of the seats.
The recall is expected to begin in December.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools said they have reached out to the manufacturer. They are waiting to hear if their C2-model buses are affected.
This week, the state of North Carolina emphasized safety patrols around school zones and bus stops as a part of the annual "Operation Stop Arm" enforcement effort.
North Carolina state troopers planned to aggressively enforce stop-arm and other school-related traffic violations this week. In previous years, troopers have ridden on buses and in unmarked patrol cars.
North Carolina bus drivers involved in annual one-day counting exercises routinely record more than 3,000 vehicles breaking stop-arm rules.
A 2017 law gave counties the right to impose civil penalties on motorists caught on school bus cameras passing buses that are picking up or dropping off children.