USD405 school bus

    Some are on the road before sunrise and others return home long after sunset. With every trip and the thousands of miles they travel, we trust them with the most precious cargo, our children. School Bus Drivers’ Appreciation Day was proclaimed to be Wednesday, October 19th, and falls during National School Bus Safety Week, October 17-21.  USD#405 will recognize our 12 drivers. In Kansas, there were 3,866 school bus drivers during the 2021-2022 school year who transported 196,040 students more than 52 million miles to and from school and another 9.8 million miles for activity trips.

Transportation employees play an integral role in the safety of Kansas children. That is why it’s so important to honor their dedication and expertise, said Melissa Ostermeyer, training coordinator for the Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit.

School Transportation Appreciation Day falls within National School Bus Safety Week, which is Oct. 17-21. National School Bus Safety Week takes place the third full week of October each year. It is designated to promote school bus safety.

"They are often out-of-sight, out-of-mind but do an incredible job every day of getting students to and from school safely. Many times these drivers are the first smile and the last smile our kids will see daily. " said transportation director, Rocky Summers.

Kansas Student Jihyeon "Elly" Han and Governor Laura Kelly with winning poster

Altamont Grade School student wins national school bus safety poster contest.

The artwork of Kansas Student Jihyeon "Elly" Han will be used nationwide to promote National School Bus Safety Week in October after Han's drawing was named the overall winner of the 2021-22 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest.
Han is the first national winner from Kansas.  She will be an eighth-grade student in the fall at Altamont Grade School, Labette County USD 506

The theme for this year’s school bus safety poster contest was “1 Bus + 1 Driver = A BIG Impact on Education.”

The 2022-2023 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest theme is “Safely Rolling to My Destination.” Posters must win at the state level to be entered into the national contest. The KSDE School Bus Safety Unit is responsible for submitting posters to the national contest.

For more information on the 2022-2023 poster contest, visit https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Fiscal-and-Administrative-Services/School-Finance/School-Bus-Safety/School-Bus-Safety-Poster-Contest.

“Throughout the years, the school bus and driver remain a strong symbol for our education community – a profession that is as important to our education systems as it is honorable,” said the American School Bus Council (ASBC), which sponsors the contest. “Han’s artwork best depicts the theme, showing that while change is inevitable, it is the school bus and the driver that remain a steady and knowing presence in the lives of so many children. 

Transportation employees play an integral role in the safety of Kansas children. That is why it’s so important to honor their dedication and expertise, said Melissa Ostermeyer, training coordinator for the Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit.

TOPEKA — School transportation employees play an important role in the safety of Kansas children – so to help honor their dedication and expertise, Gov. Laura Kelly designated Wednesday, October 17-21 as School Transportation Appreciation Day.

“School transportation employees play an important role in the safety of our students,” said Keith Dreiling, director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit. “There is a critical shortage of school bus drivers, not only in Kansas but across the nation. We just don’t have enough school bus drivers to fill the need. We are asking community members to consider driving a school bus if they can, and I want to encourage the state of Kansas to help celebrate the men and women who currently sit behind the wheel of our buses and dedicate their time and talent to keeping our students safe.”

School Transportation Appreciation Day falls within National School Bus Safety Week, which is Oct. 17-21. National School Bus Safety Week takes place the third full week of October each year. It is designated to promote school bus safety.

USD#405 bus driver Gerald Paz Lostes stated,  "If I’m honest when the district gave me the opportunity to be a bus driver, I didn’t realize how important it was to be a bus driver. As bus drivers, it is our responsibility to take care of all the students and other passengers. I mean everybody that is riding the school bus.”  

     We are always looking for new bus drivers every day every year.  It’s a rewarding job.  And it's easy money for a second job.  You get into the games for free and if you have a child in the sport you can drive every game and get paid for it. What better way to support the Lyons Lions? 


Readable/Printable PDF Version

Proclamation by the Governor for School Transportation Day. PDF link above


“School bus drivers are the quintessential unsung heroes,” said Keith Dreiling. “These drivers are not just trained to respond in emergency situations, they’re trained to prevent emergency situations, just as they would with their own children.” These individuals hauling USD 405 students on regular routes, the shuttle bus, and activity trips include: Gerald Paz Lostes, Russel Douglass, Dan Reazin, Brad Reid, Tim Slupski, Samuel Lehman, Rocky Summers, Don DeWerff, and Marlin Clark,  
Thank you for your dedication!!




 School bus transportation plays a critical role in the education of our nation's students, and is the direct link between a neighborhood and the classroom. More than 25 million children ride the yellow bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront. Here are tips to keep our children safe.

Getting Ready for School
• Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or school bag so that they won’t
drop things along the way.
• Encourage them to wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by
drivers.
• Make sure children leave home on time so they can arrive at the bus stop before it is due,
ideally at least five minutes early. Running after or in front of a bus is dangerous.
Walking to the Bus 
• Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage children to walk in groups. There is safety
in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.
• Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk stay out
of the street. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to
the edge of the road as you can.
• Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at
drive -ways and alleys. Exaggerate your head turns and narrate your actions so your child
knows you are looking left, right and left.
At the Bus Stop
• Have children wait in a location where the driver can see them while driving down the street.
Try to avoid waiting in a house or car.
• Do not let children play in the street. Playing with balls or other toys that could roll into the
street is also dangerous.
Getting On and Off the Bus

• Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it
up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver’s instructions.
• Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus.
• If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be
dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited to see you after school that
they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.
• When the driver says it is safe to cross the street, remember to cross in front of the bus.   In addition, motorists in either direction are to stop when the school bus has on the red flashing lights and the stop signal arm activated. Those who pass may be subject to a $315 fine plus court costs.

Mobile Devices
Cell phones and other electronic devices are often permitted on the school bus as long as:
• They are in backpacks or other holders, keeping hands free to use handrails while boarding
and departing the bus.
• Sound is muted or headphones, ear buds or similar devices are used.
• Content does not violate the law or school district policy and procedures.
• Use does not create a distraction for the driver.
•When the driver says it is safe to cross the street, remember to cross in front of the bus.
    In addition, motorists in either direction are to stop when the school bus has on the red flashing lights and the stop signal arm activated. Those who pass may be subject to a $315 fine plus court costs.

From the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT)
800.989.6278 :: info@napt.org :: www.napt.org

  Many do not realize the complexity involved in choosing to accept the large responsibility of driving a school bus. It is not as simple as getting behind the wheel and knowing the EXACT location of the destination. They must plan ahead and be ready for any situation from weather conditions to flat tires. Drivers have also taken first aid and CPR training. After reaching a location on time, waiting for hours for the event to finish then returning our children home. Drivers end their shift by collecting forgotten items, cleaning the interior of the bus, and refilling the fuel tank to ready the vehicle for the next day.

    To drive a bus that is designed to transport 16 passengers or more (including the driver) the operator must have a valid Kansas Commercial Driver’s License known as a CDL. This is typically a Class B license, which can be quite difficult to obtain. This allows the driver to operate straight vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds in addition to any of the vehicles contained in Class C. The driver must also have all applicable endorsements, including the "P" (passenger) endorsement that requires additional written and skills testing to allow them to transport passengers. Drivers must also obtain an "S" (school bus) endorsement on their Kansas CDL. To receive these endorsements, they need to pass a special knowledge test and a road exam conducted in a vehicle similar to the type of school bus they will be driving. The nearest testing location is in Salina.

 Areas included for endorsements are:
• Have complete knowledge of every component of the bus itself.
• Complete the training courses.
• Pass knowledge and driving tests.
• Have a clean criminal record.
• Have a clean driving record.
• Be certified as medically fit.

If the bus driver operates any vehicle equipped with an air brakes system, they are also required to pass an additional written knowledge test about air brakes. Understanding that driving is a serious responsibility that should never be taken lightly, drivers also continue their education by attending defensive driving courses. Our drivers also agree to participate in random drug screenings.
 
 For additional information about school bus safety in Kansas, contact the Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit at (785) 296‐3551.

 Our drivers are an important part of the 405 family.  Bus Drivers Appreciation Day may come only once a year but please join others in showing your appreciation for their commitment to serving USD#405 by thanking them whenever you see them throughout the year.