At this point in the season, whether or not the roads are currently bad out there, there has no doubt been a few days where it felt like you were driving on an ice rink. Slipping and sliding through stop-lights and intersections is never fun for the average driver. In fact, it’s downright unsafe. It becomes doubly so if the vehicle in question is used for group transportation services or requires a class B CDL to drive. All that mass out of control is a danger to not only the drivers of the large vehicle but to all other drivers on the road, as well as the pedestrians that surround it. Moreover, if that vehicle is for student transportation services, the lives of all the innocent children on the bus are also put at risk. For parents and school administrators alike, this last idea might be the most disturbing one of all.

For the well-being of our students and drivers alike, as a school bus contractor, we at Northstar Bus Lines take safety very seriously, especially during the winter months. We believe that a safe wintertime busing experience is dependent on all parties fulfilling their responsibilities toward ensuring safety. Our child-passengers, our drivers, and our dispatch team all have roles to play that keep students safe and sound as they ride the bus from home to school and back again.

Curious to know the specifics of what we do to keep your students safe out on the roads? We will explain further below.

School Bus Safety is a Team Effort

As stated above, safety on school busses is a goal that must be worked toward by all parties. If one group—students, drivers, or dispatch team—lapses on their safety practices, the ability of students and drivers alike to stay safe is immediately compromised. For example, say a student decided to break a safety rule and stick a hand out the window to impress a friend. The resulting commotion could easily distract the driver, which could lead to a narrowly-avoided accident. In a  worst-case scenario, the rule-breaking student could hit their hand on something outside, which could cause a severe injury and possibly require the driver to pull over on the side of a highway to attend to it. Of course, this is not a safe place to be, especially during the wintertime!

At Northstar Bus Lines, we firmly understand the responsibilities of all parties when it comes to safety. That’s why we approach the concept from all angles, to ensure that everyone involved in the busing process has the boundaries and resources they need to create a great ride.

• Rules for students are clear and enforced fairly | Perhaps you remember the rules of the bus from when you were a child. No standing while the bus was moving was probably one, and keeping your hands to yourself was probably another. Though you probably didn’t realize it at the time, these rules played a crucial role in allowing your bus driver to do his or her job safely, as well as allowed all children on the bus to relax and unwind after a hard day at school day. Rules serve a crucial function for children who ride the school bus. That’s why Northstar Bus Lines sets out to make our rules for our passengers as clear as can be, and we enforce those rules in a fair, just manner. After all, how are students to behave if they do not know where their boundaries lie, and how unsafe would a bus ride be if those boundaries weren’t enforced?

• Our drivers are well-trained | No matter if any given driver chooses to undergo training with our company or not, you can rest assured that all of our employees are well-trained and more than ready to hit the roads by the time they’ve obtained their full class B CDL. We only hire the best in the business, and we only give the kind of education that can get our drivers there. Extensive training and, in many cases, past experience with dealing with children make our drivers the safest around. They have no problem navigating slick city streets while maintaining order behind them.

• Our dispatch team is always ready to help | Losing one’s way in a snowstorm is an all-too-common occurrence here in Minnesota. As well-trained and skilled as our drivers are, they are human. Mistakes can happen. That being said, as a school bus contractor, we cannot allow these mistakes to progress, as being stranded on a lost bus in an unfamiliar area of town in poor conditions is no safe place for a child. That’s why we’ve invested in an experienced, responsive dispatch team that is just a radio call away. They are always at the ready to quickly get things moving again. Plus, all of our buses are equipped with state-of-the-art GPS technology that helps our drivers get back on track in no time should they ever take a wrong turn.

Looking for the Safest in School Bus Services? Northstar Bus Lines is Here to Help

If you’re looking for the safest in school bus services, you’ve found us! We’re a Maple Grove provider of student transportation services that would be glad to provide the transportation for your district. Give our terminal a call today at 763-425-2542.