The New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) announced the top finishers in the 45th Annual New York State School Bus Safety Competition that was held May 21 at Rockland Lake State Park in Valley Cottage, New York.
More than 100 drivers from across the Empire State took part in the the “largest and only statewide competition of its kind in New York,” said Mike Martucci, president of NYSBCA.
Each participant competed in a specific school bus division, from large (type C and D) buses to smaller (type A) vans, but each one began the competition with the same written exam on school bus safety.
The afternoon portion of the competition was a driving assessment that tested participants’ mettle behind the wheel, challenging their skills in a variety of hands-on driving situations, such as vehicle inspections, loading and unloading students and operating a school bus through various driving courses.
“It was a fantastic day of competition and the drivers from school districts and private school bus contractors who competed were all outstanding, each one demonstrating knowledge and skills that went far beyond those of your average driver,” Martucci said.
Valley Central’s Michael Murray of First Student, Inc. took home first place in the Conventional Bus (Type C) grouping. Geoffrey Roan, Educational Bus Transportation, Hudson Street, earned the top prize in the Small Bus/Van (Type A) category. The winner of the Transit (Type D) competition was Manny Beltran from the Croton-Harmon School District.
“While the drivers who finished at or near the top are truly the best in the state and set the standard for all other drivers to follow, the competition’s biggest winner is student safety,” Martucci said.
The winners of the competition are eligible to compete in the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) International School Bus Safety Competition in Greensboro, North Carolina, in July.
“The competition makes for better bus drivers and leads to an even safer ride for the kids they bring to school and back every day,” Martucci said.
