Company hires transportation expert and experienced drivers to work with district.
CINCINNATI — First Student, Inc., the nation’s leader in student transportation, has been awarded a five-year contract to provide school transportation to the Navasota Independent School District in Texas. The company will provide transportation services as well as 35 school buses to the district beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. First Student is in the process of hiring the district’s current drivers and will add additional staff from the local area.
“We are pleased to join the Navasota community and are excited to begin our first school year with the district,” said Al Muglach, First Student senior vice president, Central Region. “First Student is dedicated to forming true partnerships with the district and its students. Our team is working diligently to provide the students with the safest and most reliable transportation for this school year and beyond at an affordable price.”
To support First Student’s relationship with Navasota ISD, the company has hired Shirley Kroll as its location manager. Kroll has 20 years of experience in the transportation industry. Prior to joining First Student, Kroll managed Navasota ISD’s student transportation system, overseeing operations, training and maintenance of the district’s buses.
At First Student, the safety and security of the students the company transports is its core value. First Student’s buses feature safety tools such as GPS tracking systems which allow the company to know the speed and location of each bus at any given time, the Child Check-Mate electronic reminder system designed to ensure no child is left unattended on a bus, and crossing gates to allow children to cross in front of the bus at a safe distance. The buses serving Navasota ISD will also have cameras to monitor on-board activities.
In addition, First Student performs regular scheduled and ongoing vehicle maintenance checks to ensure the buses are in top operating condition. Each bus follows a stringent daily, monthly and annual vehicle maintenance program. Each driver also conducts a multi-point inspection prior to beginning their route.
First Student’s contract with Navasota ISD begins in July.