CINCINNATI — As the school year comes to a close, First Student, Inc., the nation’s leader in student transportation, recognizes the 65 school bus drivers and aides across the U.S. and Canada who have safely transported students to and from school each day for at least 40 years. These employees have dedicated themselves to serving their communities and providing safe transportation to students across North America.
“These drivers epitomize what it means to be a school bus driver as they are committed to the safety of the children they transport,” said Linda Burtwistle, president of First Student, Inc. “They are fixtures in the community and their dedication is unmatched. We are proud they are members of the First Student team.”
The First Student drivers and aides who have completed at least 40 years of service to their communities are:
- Mildred Abt – Schofield, Wis.
- Beverly Acker – Kingston, N.Y.
- Frank Agresti – Rochester, N.Y.
- Harriet Arms – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Martha Arnold – O’Fallon, Ill.
- Christa Auth – Prairie View, Ill.
- Vernon Ayres – Barrie, Ontario
- George Baessler – Kitchener, Ontario
- Lawrence Barber – Rochester, N.Y.
- Annmarie Benjamin – San Francisco, Calif.
- Robert Bliefernicht – Deforest, Wis.
- Martha Bottary – Brockton, Mass.
- Patricia Bowman – Tonka Bay, Minn.
- Vivian Burkhart – Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Joann Caizzi – Hanson, Mass.
- Diane Cheatham – Cologne, N.J.
- Frances Clark – Hodgkins, Ill.
- June Connors – Hanson, Mass.
- Claire Duncan – Monmouth Junction, N.J.
- Rosemarie Fullone – Schaumburg, Ill.
- Yvon Geneau – Pointe Claire, Québec
- Ruth Glase – Macungie, Pa.
- Martha Gregory – Berlin, N.J.
- Joan Halstead – Georgetown, Ontario
- Ardis Hanson – Tonka Bay, Minn.
- Carol Harper-Falconer – Prairie View, Ill.
- Shirley Harrell – Lawrence, Kan.
- James Hehir – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Richard Kendall – Berlin, N.J.
- James Lahaye – Plymouth, Minn.
- Donald Lasenby – Sarnia, Ontario
- Edwina Laubisch – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Karen Libby – Grand Ridge, Ill.
- Helen Lincoln – Brockton, Mass.
- William Luksch – Buffalo, N.Y.
- T.J. Mangione – Buffalo, N.Y.
- May Mattiace – Lincoln Park, N.J.
- James McCrite – Scott City, Mo.
- Carol Neubecker – San Francisco, Calif.
- Michael O’Brien – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Murray Ormberg – Rimbey, Alberta
- Kathryn Ortmann – Billings, Mont.
- Paul Page – King City, Ontario
- Audrey Peltier – Calgary, Alberta
- Alexander Petroski – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Barbara Place – Hanson, Mass.
- Clorinda Portscheller – Amityville, N.Y.
- John Powers – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Don Reid – Burlington, Ontario
- Eugene Reigle – Rochester, N.Y.
- Anna Ricci – Cologne, N.J.
- Sharon Richter – O’Fallon, Ill.
- Martha Roach – Grand Ridge, Ill.
- Kay Rowden – Parkville, Mo.
- Beatrice Roy – Merrimac, Mass.
- F.D. Ryan – Buffalo, N.Y.
- Brigitte Sagan – Prairie View, Ill.
- Henry Schweikarth – Wall, Pa.
- Norma Sherwood – Berlin, N.J.
- Glenn Siercks – Rochester, Minn.
- Dale Sutton – San Francisco, Calif.
- Sylvia Sweet – Richmond, Calif.
- Dorothy Van Straten – Green Bay, Wis.
- Helen Vinopal – Westmont, Ill.
- Adeline Wunderlich – Hicksville, N.Y.
At First Student, safety is our core value. Our drivers undergo extensive training to ensure they provide the safest transportation. New drivers with the company must complete more than 50 hours of in-classroom, behind-the-wheel and safety orientation training before driving one of our buses. In addition to state and school district-mandated training, First Student also conducts monthly in-service meetings throughout the year to discuss various safety topics as well as review company policies and procedures.
