The new School Bus Watch program will train bus drivers to spot potential terrorists. They'll also learn how to look out for people casing their routes or plotting to explode buses full of happy tots.
One driver who attended a training session said, "I don't think I ever thought about, 'Oh, well, here, let me check my bus for a bomb.' So, you know, all of that stuff is very helpful."
For several years, municipal bus drivers have been trained in anti-terrorism techniques.
However, school bus drivers -- often retirees, mothers with young children, or people between jobs -- are a different matter.
Now, in addition to watching out for child molesters, reckless drivers, and pot-smoking teens in the back seat, bus drivers will have to look out for terrorists.
John Rollins, a former senior Homeland Security intelligence official, sees the beginning of a worrisome trend.
"Today it's bus drivers, tomorrow it could be postal officials, and the next day, it could be, 'Why don't we have this program in place for the people who deliver the newspaper to the door?"' he said.
"We could quickly get into a society where we're all spying on each other. It may be well intentioned, but there is a concern of going a bit too far."
Dale Krapf, the hilariously named president of the National School Transportation Association, disagreed.
"School bus drivers already play an important role in the safety and security of their communities," he said.
"School Bus Watch represents an important part of continuing that role and gives them some additional tools that will help them to keep their communities, their vehicles, and our children safe."
Several years ago, the city of Modesto held a busjacking drill for 60 school bus drivers. Many were reduced to tears.
But they'll probably do just super when it comes to foiling real terrorists.
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