The following is a Counterpoint.

By June Atkinson

In response to your recent coverage of issues regarding school bus tires, I assure your readers of two things: There has been no breach of safety standards for school buses, and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction continues to keep safety at the top of our school transportation agenda. We would never compromise the safety of schoolchildren.

The retreaded tires purchased through the state contract administered by the Department of Administration and used by North Carolina school districts have performed without incident. One retreading technology, the "bead-to-bead" process, does replace rubber on the sidewalls of school bus tires, which obscures original manufacturers' information. White's Tire Service of Wilson, the contract vendor, replaces this information to show the original manufacturer of the tire, the date of the retread, point of origin and the number of times the tire has been retreaded.

Also, the recommended load capacities and air pressures are stamped on the retreaded tires. The only applicable ratings are those for dual wheel applications such as on the rear axle of a school bus. Retreaded tires are not permitted on the front (steering) axle.

State Board of Education policy allows a range of safe tire pressures. The local school transportation director determines the appropriate pressures, within this range, for his or her district's buses, based on local geography and climate. School buses are inspected every 30 days and tire pressure is checked more frequently than this.

In 2004, White's Tire Service realized that it was stamping tires with a pressure range that did not match the original manufacturer's recommendations.

It immediately changed this and notified DPI and the Department of Administration. There was no effort to "recall" tires because it was not needed. Safety tests of the retreaded tires ensured that they could withstand the pressures stamped on them. There have been no reported problems with the retreaded tires.

It is important to note that once a tire is retreaded, the responsibility for that tire rests with the retreading company, not the original manufacturer. Federal regulations stipulate that the retreading company is not required to stamp any tire pressure or capacity recommendation on the retreaded tires. The retreaded tires provided to North Carolina school districts through the state contract do contain this information as well as the load range, which is stamped as requested by DPI.

Parents can rest assured that the tires used on their children's school buses meet all required safety standards.

The writer is state superintendent.