CINCINNATI —School bus drivers have been going to great lengths to get children to and from school safely during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. First Student is proud to join the American School Bus Council (ASBC) in recognizing these dedicated drivers during Love the Bus Month.
School bus drivers are the most highly-trained, tested and scrutinized drivers on the road. There are strict background checks, licensing requirements and training standards that must be met to safely operate a school bus.
The COVID-19 pandemic has helped illustrate the importance of in-person learning for students, and school busing is a critical component. Drivers have been on the frontline, showing an unwavering commitment to school districts and families.
“We are grateful for the support and focus our drivers have shown to our operations during these challenging times,” said First Student President Paul G. Osland. “They continue to demonstrate just how essential First Student is in the communities we serve. Our location teams have been flexing to meet the evolving needs of our school district partners to help ensure we provide students with the safest ride possible to and from school.”
First Student is dedicated to investing in a comprehensive, industry-leading driver training program. The process incudes classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. The company provides all necessary training and offers competitive wages.
Approximately 26 million students in North America ride school buses each day. Five million of those journeys are on First Student buses. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are approximately 70 times safer than passenger cars and 10 times safer than walking.
The ASBC created Love the Bus Month in 2007 to raise awareness and appreciation for the experience of riding the school bus, as well as to honor drivers for their ever-important role in supporting education.
More than 50,000 First Student employees come together each school day to deliver safe transportation to families across North America. Throughout the month of February, the company will recognize these drivers, monitors, dispatchers and technicians for their commitment to serve their communities.
About First Student
As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes five million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. With a team of highly-trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 40,000 buses. For more information, please visit firststudentinc.com.