As the school year kicks off across Sullivan County for thousands of young, bright minds eager and ready to learn, their safety must be the first priority of everyone sharing the roads with the hundreds of school buses carrying their precious cargo. 

This important responsibility for drivers begins as soon as the familiar yellow buses hit the road in the early morning light to pick up their students, and lasts until every one of those buses are stowed away in the evening, awaiting the cycle to repeat once again.

Every year this conversation arises again, because despite the majority of people who take great care when driving behind school buses, there are still some drivers who may put their own schedule above the safety of children. This includes illegal driving habits, like passing or not stopping when the lights are active and tailgating.

Getting stuck behind a school bus can be frustrating for sure, but nothing is worth more than the respect and safety that our children deserve while being transported to and from their place of schooling. It is everyone’s job to do their best to ensure students make it to school safe and sound.

Yes, it is frustrating getting stuck behind a school bus, but there is an easy solution to remedy the situation. Bus pick ups are on a set schedule, so all you have to do is leave your house two or three minutes earlier to avoid any delays in your travel. Simple enough. 

We still urge everyone to obey all traffic laws, keep your eyes on the road and shoulder, as students sometimes can run out in front of you and, as the saying goes, good things take time, and sometimes the bus pick up or drop off will require some patience. Either way, at the end of the day, you participated in a wonderful step in the daily lives of the students by driving safely.

But for those who seem to not be able to find their patience, watch out! This year, Rolling V Bus Corp announced the installation of new cameras on their vehicles. So don’t think you’re too slick to get away with disregarding their safety all for your own ticking clock.