Last year, LEEF awarded the Leander ISD Transportation department with a $5,000 grant to improve the current training program for new bus drivers. Bus Operator Scott Colvin used the grant money to purchase better tools for creating training videos and podcasts.
The department is continuously looking for ways to ensure that drivers are well-equipped for the variety of situations they face, and Colvin said that this grant was a big step in a positive direction.
โWhatโs the impact of this grant? Better drivers, better-educated student management. The bus ride is the first and last class of the day. We have the opportunity to make those children feel better. Because we don’t know what their day is like, what happened for breakfast, or what happened at school. Weโll have kids come in and they’ve got tears rolling down their face. We don’t have all day to sit down with them, but we want to make them feel as comfortable and as good about the ride as possible. It’s high fives. It’s saying, โHave a great day!โ That’s what it’s all about. We’re making better bus drivers. And if we send the students into school with a smile on their face, it makes it easier for the teachers.โ
