CINCINNATI — School transportation leader First Student is hitting the road to promote safe bus behavior during back-to school season and beyond through its nationwide Safety Dog Bus Tour. The program uses fun and interactive activities to teach bus riding basics to elementary school students.
Kicking off September 28 in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, the Safety Dog Bus Tour will travel across North America during the 2022-23 school year. Some of the school districts First Student’s safety mascot will visit include:
- Battle Ground Public Schools in Brush Prairie, Wash.
- Granite City Community Unit School District #9, Granite City, Ill.
- Hamilton County Schools, Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Hockinson School District in Brush Prairie, Wash.
- Huntsville City Schools in Huntsville, Ala.
- Pocono Mountain District: Swiftwater, Pa.
- Princeton City School District: Cincinnati, Ohio
“At First Student, we are committed to providing unmatched care for our students,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “The Safety Dog Bus Tour teaches effective safety tips in a memorable way, helping to ensure our school buses are welcoming and trusted places where students feel comfortable and secure. We are excited to deliver this important message in partnership with the school districts we serve.”
Riding a school bus is the safest way for children to and from school. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are approximately 70 times safer than passenger cars.
During Safety Dog Bus Tour stops, students learn how to be a safe bus rider through various hands-on activities. They receive a safety demonstration on the school bus, sign a safety pledge, have a photo taken with Safety Dog and get a special gift bag to remember the information shared during the event.
There have been more than 40 stops on the Safety Dog Bus Tour to date. Nearly 12,000 students have signed the safety pledge.
About First Student
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. 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, visit firststudentinc.com.