February has been declared “Love the Bus Month” by the American School Bus Council and First Student, with the hope of encouraging students and parents to thank the men and women who transport over 26 million children to school every day.
To help kick off the month, First Student has launched the “I Care + We Care = Customer Care” initiative aiming to ensure children arrive at school feeling “safe, respected, and ready to learn.” The initiative also offers simple, age-appropriate behavior expectations for students and positive reinforcement tools for good behavior.
“At First Student, we never forget that how students get to and from school matters,” said Dennis Maple, First Student President in a press release. “We recognize the opportunity we have to directly and positively impact each student’s day. Our people take that responsibility very seriously.”
According to Maple, First Student team members, including drivers, monitors, managers, and technicians are empowered to better manage student behavior on the bus, and to provide positive reinforcement to students through awards, stickers, and note cards. Team members also focus on guaranteeing the buses are clean and well maintained for students.
“Our people are our advantage,” Maple added. “Customer Care provides additional opportunities for our team members to work together in strengthening our commitment to service and safety.”
“The interactions students have on the bus can impact how they treat one [another] throughout the day, as well as how they behave in the classroom,” said Gary Catapano, First Student senior vice president of safety. “We know how important it is for children to feel safe and respected on the school bus. Using our insight, expertise and resources, we are striving to build more positive relationships between bus drivers, students and the broader communities we serve.”
