Excelsior Springs, Mo. (June 5, 2025) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol released results from its 2025 annual school bus inspection program, revealing that most school buses statewide, including those in Excelsior Springs, are operating safely and within state standards.
A total of 11,255 school buses were inspected across Missouri this year. Of those, 10,144 (90.1%) were approved on initial inspection, 799 (7.1%) were marked as “defective” and required repairs within 10 days, and 312 buses (2.8%) were placed out of service due to more serious issues that required reinspection by Patrol personnel before returning to passenger service.
Excelsior Springs School District presented 36 buses for inspection. Of those, 88.9% passed on the first attempt, while 11.1% were noted as having minor defects. Importantly, none of the district’s buses were taken out of service.
According to the Patrol, buses marked as “defective” typically require minor repairs, such as worn wiper blades, lights, or other non-critical components. Many of these issues are corrected on-site and reinspected the same day, often before inspectors leave the facility.
Colonel Michael A. Turner, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, commended school transportation teams statewide for their collaboration and commitment to safety.
“Missouri State Highway Patrol personnel, with the cooperation of pupil transportation professionals, completed the successful inspection of 11,255 school buses in accordance with Missouri revised state statutes,” Turner said. “These efforts help the Patrol, Missouri schools, and private pupil transportation companies ensure schoolchildren are safe while they travel on school buses.”
See the Missouri Highway Patrol’s report by clicking here.
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