School bus drivers from across the U.S. and Canada were presented with the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills in the 51st Edition of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition (SBDISC), presented by Beacon Mobility.
On Saturday, June 28, participating drivers — in one of the three bus categories: small bus (Type A), conventional (Type C), or transit (Type D) — first completed a safety competition orientation class followed by a written test. The skills part of the competition was held at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District transportation facility in Uhland, Texas, where contestants got behind the wheel of a school bus and completed a rigorous road course. Hays CISD was designated as the permanent host of the event.
“Transporting students in the yellow bus remains the safest way to get our students to school each day. The School Bus Driver International Safety Competition highlights the professionalism of our school bus drivers that combines a driving competition within an enjoyable atmosphere,” stated NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn. “This yearly event celebrates the cornerstone of pupil transportation – our drivers, who continue to inspire us every day. On behalf of NSTA, I want to extend our thanks to Hays CISD for their support, and we look forward to hosting our competition here next year.”
To be eligible for the international title, drivers must have first competed and won or placed in a state or provincial competition in their bus category within the past year. Winners of the international competition are determined by the highest score in the competition, based on each category. For the first time, the Bill Loshbough Grand Champion Award was awarded to the driver who achieved the overall top score of the entire Safety Competition. This year, it went to Brian Rickmann of Beaverton School District in Oregon.
The awards banquet was held on Sunday, at which the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) honored several drivers who had successfully competed in the SBDISC. All 53 competitors took photographs with NSTA President Dan Kobussen and received a driver’s recognition certificate and plaque denoting their participation in the competition.
“We are pleased to host another edition of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition, guided by the leadership of Bill Loshbough and Kevin Kilner. This respected event gives school bus drivers from across North America the chance to demonstrate their skills and knowledge while competing to be the best in their field,” stated Kobussen, who owns Kobussen Buses in Wisconsin. “It also represents an opportunity for the school transportation community to come together in a spirited, yet supportive, environment that celebrates excellence and professionalism.”
The following are the winners:
Small Bus (Type A):
First Place: Claudia Christen
Prairie Bus Lines – Alberta, Canada
Second Place: Kathleen Graham
Montgomery County Public Schools, Virginia
Third Place: Erika Gaines
Montgomery County Schools, Tennessee
Conventional Bus (Type C):
First Place: Betty Nelson
Dean Transportation, Michigan
Second Place: Philip Purvis
North East ISD, Texas
Third Place: Jered Winnestaffer
Community Bus Services – Groveport-Madison Schools, Ohio
Transit Bus (Type D):
First Place: Brian Rickmann
Beaverton School District, Oregon
Second Place: Danelle Adams
Roseville Joint Union High School District, California
