Federal cellphone ban for bus drivers

WASHINGTON — A national ban on cell-phone use by bus drivers has been proposed by the U.S. DOT. It is expected to be put in place before March.

Bus drivers already are banned by federal regulation from texting while working.

“Every time a commercial truck or bus driver takes his or her eyes off the road to use a cellphone, even for a few seconds, the driver places everyone around them at risk,” said the DOT, noting that fatal bus crashes jumped from 20 to 38 in 2009.