First Student, Inc., the nation’s leader in student transportation, has been awarded a new three-year contract to provide special education school bus transportation to Minnetonka School District 276 in Minn. The special education transportation contract will begin on Aug. 1. First Student will provide a fleet of 26 new minibuses, six of which will be lift-equipped, as well a full-sized, lift-equipped bus.
First Student has served the Minnetonka district for more than 30 years. In addition to the new special education buses, the company will continue to provide general school bus transportation services with a fleet of 49 buses.
Each of the First Student buses utilized for Minnetonka’s special education transportation will include safety features such as GPS tracking systems, a Zonar Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report component to ensure buses are operating at optimal level, onboard cameras, and the Child Check-Mate electronic reminder system designed to ensure no child is left unattended on a bus.
First Student has extensive experience in serving school districts’ needs for special education transportation services, and knows it takes care and compassion as well as special training and equipment to safely transport students with special needs. First Student conducts numerous special needs driver education programs incorporating video presentations, driver manuals, workshops and on-the-job training.
First Student is part of Cincinnati-based First Student, North America’s largest transportation company.