Three school bus drivers have the opportunity to participate in this summer’s International School Bus Driver Safety Competition in Minneapolis after winning their respective divisions at the 44th Annual New York State School Bus Safety Competition last month.
Mitchell Mattison of Monticello Central School District won the Conventional Type C category while John Moore of contractor Suffolk Transportation took first in the Small Bus/Van Type A division and Manuel Beltran of Croton Harmon School District won the Type D transit competition.
Lakisha Thomas of Baumann also won the title “Rookie of the Year.”
Bob Pape, president of the New York School Bus Contractor’s Association, said early rain didn’t adversely affect the competition at Rockland lake State Park in Valley Cottage.
“All of these drivers exhibited incredible skill and attention to detail as their driving skills were put to the ultimate test,” he added. “Not only are they the best-of-the best, they demonstrated what matters most to all of us involved in pupil transportation providers – putting student safety first.”
A spokesman for NYSBCA said that none of the winning school bus drivers had confirmed they would attend the International Safety Competition sponsored by the National School Transportation Association but that usually the driver’s company or school district usually covers the cost.
Vicki DelVecchio of First Student’s Pine Bush location finished in second place in the Type C division and Cheryl Wyman, Mattison’s co-worker at Monticello CSD, finished third. James J. Baumer of WE Transport came in second in the Type A category ahead of Diymi Aide of Chestnut Ridge Transportation in Spring Valley. Bill Vivian of First Student’s Rochester location came in second in Type D followed by Daniel Farley of Quality Bus Service.
More than 100 drivers took part in the competition, which began with a written exam on school bus safety. They then tested their driving skills in a variety of hands-on situations from vehicle inspection, to loading and unloading students, to turning and stopping, railroad crossings and more.
“The drivers who competed are to be commended, not just for taking part in the event, but for the work they do each and every day in bringing our kids to school safely,” Pape concluded. “The winners, and drivers who finished near the top, set an example for other drivers to follow by raising the bar for safe student transportation.”
He also thanked the volunteer judges and the companies that supplied the buses, including Chappaqua Transportation, First Student, The Trans Group, Quality Bus Service, Rolling V and Suffolk Transportation, as well as NYSBCA members who helped cover the cost of meals and prizes.
