School District Promises Safe, Efficient Bus Routes

First Student Bus. Co. has teamed up with Monroe Public Schools to literally watch out for the safety of every child from bus stop to school and back.

Digital cameras will be pointed toward the back and front of the bus, as well as at oncoming traffic.

"I believe its a $450 fine if you try to blow by a parked bus," Assistant Superintendent of Schools Richard Canfield said during a Board of Education meeting Monday.

"The bus really becomes a traffic light on wheels for children's safety," he added.

But that's not all.

Tracking devices on every bus and van will allow school administrators and First Student to follow the movements of every driver via computer with times recorded for each stop.

Canfield said the locating and tracking software will also make it easier to find buses that break down.

Something many parents were unhappy with last school year ... the bus routes, should also be significantly improved, according to Canfield.

Mapping it all out

Canfield said First Student hired a national consultant with 40 years of experience in transportation to develop safe and efficient bus routes for Monroe schools.

The town's public schools are not the only ones who stand to benefit from improved bus routes.

"We have finally come up with a plan that, I believe, will service St. Jude well," Canfield said of the private school.

For the Six-to-Six Magnet School, Monroe will share transportation with Trumbull Public Schools.

School-by-school, every student's address was noted on large town maps while routes were created for each school.

This was done in consultation with the bus company's local manager and dispatcher, Canfield said, adding both are experienced bus drivers familiar with Monroe's roads and traffic patterns.

First Student's drivers each hold a special license and undergo annual safety and driver training, according to Canfield.

Once a bus does a test drive, a route is confirmed, entered into transportation software and published.

Canfield said all of the routes are finished.

"They're done but won't be posted until I am assured they are as accurate as possible," he said.

Bus routes will be posted on Monroe Public Schools website and published in The Monroe Courier and Voices.