Hartland Transportation Promotes National School Bus Safety Week

Hartland Consolidated Schools transportation department recognized National School Bus Safety Week this week by promoting safety tips for students, parents and drivers.

Posters throughout Hartland Schools, coloring books sent home with bus riders and safety reviews on buses were part of the effort to help maintain safe riding, according to Hartland Transportation Supervisor, Jill Fons.

In a press release from the Livingston County Sheriff's Department, Michigan has nearly 16,500 school buses and are "the most economic and most environmentally friendly choice for student transportation."

They are also the safest form of transportation, according to Fons.

"The ratio is they're (students) 13 times more likely to be injured in a vehicle rather than a school bus," Fons said. "School buses really are the safest transportation possible."

With 64 employees and 41 regular bus stops, Hartland buses transport more than 5,000 students on a daily basis.

The school bus transportation system is also a way to reduce congestion, according to the press release, and the Livingston County Sheriff's Department encourages parents to visit www.schoolbusfacts.com to learn more about safe student transportation.

Fons, however, says she understands that some parents still choose to drive their students to and from school for a variety of reasons and explains that Hartland Schools are designed with seperate bus areas to help with the flow of traffic and safety of children.

Hartland drivers are also educated on their responsibilty to their young passengers beyond the safety issues as well, according to Fons.

"If a child's having a hard time on the bus, we want to correct it," she said. "They need to go safely to and from school, but they have to be ready to learn."

Fons encourages parents to contact the transportation department with any problems, concerns or suggestions.

"We love when parents call with good stuff or bad stuff," Fons said. "It opens up communication."