LATHAM, N.Y. — The New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) announced today the top finishers in the 48th Annual New York State School Bus Safety Competition, which was held Saturday, May 18, at Rockland Lake State Park in Valley Cottage, N.Y.
The competition, which is the “largest and only statewide competition of its kind in New York, was a huge success,” said New York School Bus Contractors Association President Corey Muirhead.
Muirhead added that “Every driver who took part in the competition not only demonstrated tremendous knowledge about student safety, they displayed exceptional driving skills that set the standard for all school bus drivers to follow. These drivers are the very reason why a school bus is the safest vehicle on the road. Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. Our congratulations go out to all the competitors.”
Nearly 80 drivers participated in the competition. Each person competed in a specific school bus division, from large (type C and D) buses to smaller (type A) vans.
The day began with a comprehensive written exam on school bus safety and lasted throughout the afternoon. Drivers were tested for their skills with hands-on activities that included: vehicle inspections, loading and unloading students, operating a school bus through various driving courses, managing railroad crossings and more.
The 2019 winners in each category are:
- Conventional Bus (Type C):
First Place – Cynthia Peters, Huntington Coach Corp.
Second Place – Karen Lucadamo, Suffolk Transportation Service
Third Place – Woody Rexford, Rolling V Bus Corp.
Fourth Place – Joyce Olenick, We Transport/ Towne Bus
Fifth Place – Adene DuBois, We Transport - Small Bus (Type A):
First Place – Marlon Forrester, Towne Bus
Second Place – Yvenson Maignan, Chestnut Ridge Transportation – Spring Valley
Third Place – Shannon Darragh, We Transport/ Towne Bus
Fourth Place – Charmaine Noronha, Suffolk Transportation Service
Fifth Place – James J. Baumer, We Transport - Transit Bus, (Type D):
First Place – Jose Torres, We Transport/ Towne Bus
Second Place – Dan Farley, Quality Bus / Durham School Services
Third Place – Ralph Stephens, Rolling V Bus Corp.
Fourth Place – Jenny Reinoso, Suffolk Transportation Service
Fifth Place – Joseph Cherubin, Chestnut Ridge Transportation – Pomona - 2019 Rookie of the Year:
Marlon Forrester – Towne Bus
The winners of the competition, hosted by the NYSBCA, are now eligible to compete in the National School Transportation Association’s (NSTA) International School Bus Driver Safety Competition in Austin, Texas on July 20-21.
About the New York School Bus Contractors Association
NYSBCA represents over 100 school transportation companies (contractors). The industry transports more than half of all the children who ride a school bus to and from school each clay. The association promotes safe, reliable and cost-effective student transportation services for New York’s schoolchildren. www.nysbca.com
