Nationally, while school buses are the gold standard of safety and considered the Titans of Transportation, school bus drivers are the heroes of safety that go above and beyond the call of duty as they deliver the most precious cargo – our students.

Locally, parents, students, teachers, and superintendents celebrate National School Bus Driver Appreciation Week by showing appreciation for school bus drivers that build local community, make special deliveries, arrive in early hours, help students in need, focus on safety, and more.  School staff and parents make special cards, deliver special snacks, talk with drivers about how much their commitment to student safety means to families, schools, and the community, and learn about a day in the life of a school bus driver. School district transportation directors celebrate National School Bus Driver Appreciation Week by providing driver safety training at the district. This is a time for celebrating school bus drivers.

Historically, Maine schools celebrate National School Bus Safety Week which occurs annually during the third week in October. It is a time for Mainers to reflect upon the outstanding job performance of our school bus drivers who transport students to and from school and school related events throughout the year traveling over 30 million miles of urban and rural roads. In Maine about 80 percent of students ride the school bus which is much higher than the national average of 50 percent.

We welcome you to share stories about your Maine school bus driver heroes of safety on the Maine DOE social media on Facebook @MaineDepartmentofEducation1 and/or Twitter @mdoenews.  Here are some historic examples of Maine school bus driver heroes of safety:

School bus drivers receive extensive driver and safety training to provide the essential service of school transportation. They are responsible for conserving the comfort, safety, and welfare of students they transport. Should a critical incident occur that requires student relocation, school bus drivers will be called on to deliver students to a safe haven.

For information about school transportation policy contact Transportation and Facilities Administrator Pat Hinckley at pat.hinckley@maine.gov .

For information about how to become a school bus driver contact the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) http://www.maptme.org/