GARDNER, Kan. – Proving a commitment to safety, First Student in Gardner, Kansas, recently achieved a perfect score on its Transportation Safety Review by the Kansas State Department of Education. This is the third consecutive year the location, which provides student transportation to the Gardner Edgerton School District, has received this distinction.
The review aims to ensure school buses are operating safely in the state. Nearly 230,000 students in Kansas ride school buses every day. As part of the review, the state conducts fleet inspections, analyzes maintenance records and examines driver data. The review is performed over the course of the school year.
“There is nothing more important than the safety of the students we transport,” said John Billigmeier, First Student area general manager. “Achieving a perfect score on the transportation safety review demonstrates our commitment to setting the highest standards. We are proud to provide a safe, secure way to school through our people, technologies and best practices.”
First Student has the industry’s strongest safety record. The company’s hiring, training and ongoing development programs help deliver a ride that is twice as safe as the industry average. First Student is also the only school transportation company to receive the National Safety Council Green Cross for Safety, the highest award for safety in North America.
First Student has partnered with the Gardner Edgerton School District to provide tailored transportation solutions for more than 15 years. The location operates, maintains and manages a fleet of more than 70 buses. Earlier this year, the district decided to extend its contract with First Student through the 2020-2021 school year.
About First Student, Inc.
As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes six million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. 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, and charter services for 1,300 school district contracts. For more information, please visit firststudentinc.com.
