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As part of National School Bus Safety Week, LA Unified’s Transportation Services Division is recognizing its top drivers this week by handing out 811 safe driving pins and certificates.
Some drivers will be receiving pins for multiple years of safe driving, with one reaching as high as 37 years of safe driving, according to Transportation Services Division Director Donald Wilkes
“It is during [National School Bus Safety Week] that LAUSD takes time to celebrate the safe driving accomplishments of their school bus drivers at several award ceremonies,” Wilkes said. “During the ceremonies drivers are treated to refreshments and individually recognized for their achievement in the presence of LAUSD Board member offices, school administrators, as well as their peers.”
Wilkes also said that California state law requires that students receive instruction in school bus emergency procedures and passenger safety at least once each year. (See the attached LAUSD-produced video below on bus safety shown to many students in the district.)
“School bus drivers are required to review with their students how to safely board, ride, disembark the school bus, cross the street, and practice safe habits when walking to or from the school bus stop,” Wilkes said.
In honor of National School Bus Safety Week, here a few interesting facts about the LAUSD fleet. According to the LAUSD Transportation Services Division:
- Transports approximately 42,100 students daily.
- Owns 3,400 buses, trucks, autos and vans.
- Operates the largest compressed natural gas school bus fleet in the nation, with 530.
- Logs an average of 23 million miles per year.
- Assists an average of 1,000 callers per day in the Dispatch/Customer Service Section.