Winners of the Keystone/Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA) Safety Grant were announced at the PSBA’s Annual Conference at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, Pennsylvania, on June 24.
Allegheny Transportation
Reliance Student Transportation
Winners included Fred and LeeAnn Kline with Allegheny Transportation of Aetna, as well as John Polli with Reliance Student Transportation and Lisa Newcomer with F&S Transportation, both of York.
Keystone and the PSBA partnered in 2018 to offer the first annual Safety Grant as an opportunity to improve safety of fleet operations or services provided to employees or students. The grant offers up to $30,000 for winners to implement proposed safety initiatives throughout the course of a year, with the opportunity to showcase their efforts during the next year’s annual conference.
Allegheny Transportation proposed a mascot, Gus the Goose, to minimize injuries by appearing in videos, at school assemblies and in signs on buses to help students remember safety rules. Reliance Transportation proposed the installation of electronic “child check” units in their passenger vans to minimize the chances of a child being left in a van. F&S Transportation proposed creating an eco-friendly driver simulator for new and seasoned drivers to test their skills in real-world environments while saving on fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
“Judging of all 14 applications and scoring for the grant was extremely competitive,” explained Michael Berk, PSBA executive director. “The proposals we received showed ingenuity, creativity and our members’ ongoing commitment to the safe transportation of our students. We encourage applicants not selected to re-submit for 2019.”
“Safety is the utmost importance in transporting students to school, and we recognized the opportunity to enhance both awareness and contractor operations through a safety grant,” said Brian Brusoski, senior vice president of property and casualty with Keystone. “Giving operators a chance to select their initiatives was unique and effective, and it will inspire other operators in future years. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
