Transportation Safety

The safety and security of our students and employees are our core value. First Student Canada employees are committed to the highest levels of safety in all work place and operational activities. Safety, security and reliability are at the heart of all the school bus services we provide, and we place special emphasis on driver training, vehicle maintenance, and fleet replacement.

Here are some examples:

• Safety Principles guide First Student Canada employees in conducting all activities safely - on and off the bus.  Our employees are trained in these principles and carry them with them in their Injury Prevention Handbook.  Remember, "If you cannot do it safely, don't do it".
• Background Screening: First Student Canada screens all employees beyond required provincial regulations by providing additional assurances our employees are cleared to perform all safety sensitive duties.
• Drug and Alcohol Policy: First Student Canada maintains a zero tolerance policy. All school bus drivers, mechanics, and management employees are subject to pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing.
• Bullying and Sexual Harassment Training is an integral part of our bus driver training curriculum. School bus drivers are taught how to recognize and prevent bullying and sexual harassment to ensure children arrive at school ready to learn!
• Big Safety for Small Riders is a special training component that focuses on the characteristics of young and developmentally disabled children to keep these special school bus riders safe on the bus.
• Bus Seat Safety Rules extends safe school bus riding knowledge to students and our drivers on the "5 safety rules for students." This program helps young riders put into action key safety issues involved with safe bus ridership and how to help create a safe bus environment for everyone.
• Security Training & Procedures target six specific types of security events. This training ensures our drivers and attendants know how to respond to safety and security events to ensure our passengers are protected. This training also provides security response procedures for our dispatch staff.
• Child Check Mate System is an electronic security reminder system with an audible alarm reminding drivers to check for sleeping children when their routes are finished. If the driver fails to perform this critical safety step and exits the bus, the alarm activates the vehicle horn and interior lights.
• Complete Safety Performance Standards & Standard Operating Procedures are provided to all our drivers and staff people. Guiding the safety-critical areas of our operations, these standards and procedures help to ensure the uniform, safe performance of all our operations.
• Injury Prevention Program (IPP) helps us create an injury and collision-free workplace. Designed for all managers and employees, this program emphasizes the importance of employees reporting safety, security and route hazards, as well as managers providing feedback and coaching to employees on safe behaviors. Every employee carries an IPP handbook, which provides a record of the safety communications and safety and security guidance.