Company honors 19 drivers who have provided four decades of service.
CINCINNATI — First Student, Inc., the nation’s leader in student transportation, recognizes 19 school bus drivers across the U.S. and Canada who are celebrating their 40th anniversary of providing safe student transportation. Since 1971, these drivers have dedicated themselves to serving their communities and providing safe, reliable transportation to students across North America.
“For 40 years, these drivers have seen and done it all, from completing numerous safety inspections and training sessions to greeting students each morning and logging thousands of miles on the roads. They have dedicated their careers to providing the safest school transportation,” said Linda Burtwistle, president of First Student. “Their commitment to the students and communities they serve is commendable, and we are proud they are part of the First Student team.”
The First Student drivers who have reached 40 years of service in 2011 are:
Susan Aders – Billings, Mont. Ghislain Bergeron – Pointe Claire, Quebec Helga Braunstein – Mississauga, Ontario Charles Cameron – San Francisco, Calif. Shirley Canyon – San Francisco, Calif. Barbara Donovan – San Francisco, Calif. Phillip Ellison – San Francisco, Calif. Lillian Fagundes – Warwick, R.I. James Gauthier – Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Lois Harvey – Catskill, N.Y. Karen Lagge – Billings, Mont. Jane McSweeney – Randolph, Mass. Elizabeth Miglietta – Hansen, Mass. Jesse Montgomery – Norwalk, Conn. Janice Rogers – Pittsburgh, Pa. Paul Stein – San Francisco, Calif. Virginia Ventura – Rochester, N.Y. Shirley Walbert – Macungie, Pa. Elaine Wilson – Rochester, N.Y.
At First Student, safety is our core value. Our drivers undergo extensive training to ensure they provide the safest transportation. Before operating a First Student bus, new drivers must complete in-classroom, behind-the-wheel and safety orientation training on such topics as student behavioral management and bus safety. Drivers providing special needs transportation participate in additional specialized training. In addition to state and school district-mandated training, First Student also conducts monthly in-service meetings throughout the year to discuss various safety topics as well as review company policies and procedures.