Bus drivers undergo training

As individuals responsible for bringing to school close to 10,000 students everyday for no less than 180 days of the whole school year, public school bus drivers yesterday received refresher courses on the essentials of responsible and defensive driving.

Some 50 Public School System bus drivers, conductors, and mechanics from Saipan, Rota, and Tinian took part in the first of a series of Summer 2000 Personnel Training at the Pacific Islands Club.

According to PSS Administrative Services Officer Jess Sanchez, the goal of the training is to gauge the current know-how of bus drivers and update their skills in dealing with emergency cases to guarantee students’ safety.

“We mean to highlight on the basic mechanical expectations that they will offer so that when they go out in the road, they are prepared, and they know what to check to make sure that they are still operational,” said Mr. Sanchez.

As transportation providers to public grade school and high school students, Mr. Sanchez underscored the need for bus drivers to always be alert at all times.

“Under no circumstances will we compromise the safety of the kids. We must guarantee it,” he added.

The week-long training program will mainly feature safety discussions to be facilitated by PSS Deputy Human Resources Officer Frank Agulto, a licensed trainer of defensive driving who formerly worked for the Department of Public Works in Guam and the Guam Telephone Authority.

Mr. Agulto emphasized to participants at yesterday’s opening session that operating buses is a shared responsibility between administrators and members of the community.

“We all have a commitment to ensure the safety of our children,” said Mr. Agulto.

The expert added that bus drivers should not merely focus on transporting students to schools and back to their homes. “The other aspect is that children enjoy themselves while on the bus,” he said.

Regular bus drivers deal with an average seven to eight-ton vehicle, with a maximum of 66 students aboard each trip.

According to Mr. Agulto, bus drivers have very vital jobs as they take on the role of the mother, father, teacher, and other characters while they man the bus with kids on board.

“This is a tremendous responsibility. And we should continually let them know that they are not alone. Every time we get the children safely transported back to their homes, this is an accomplishment for us,” said Mr. Agulto.

At the end of the training, participants will be issued certificates indicating that they are fit to operate the $110,000-regular bus or a $80,000-special education vehicle for students with disabilities. (MM)