Thousands of Kent School District (KSD) students begin and end each day aboard school buses. Approximately 140 KSD bus drivers help make those daily journeys possible, and they are often the first and last staff members students interact with each school day. That daily connection is one KSD Transportation staff know can have a lasting impact on students.

"When there's a substitute driver, the students notice. It's like having a guest teacher in class," said Justin Dennison, Director of Transportation. "There's a comfort level that students have with their driver, and many of them have the same driver for many years and build a bond with them. It's mutual. Drivers also care a lot about their students, and it can be hard for them to watch students graduate to the next school and no longer transport them anymore."

But what riders and their families might not know is that extensive preparation takes place behind the scenes to ensure continued, reliable transportation service, with safety at the very center of every aspect of the department's work.

According to Dennison, safety is more than a set of procedures. It's a mindset that guides every decision transportation staff make throughout the day. Before leaving the transportation center each morning, drivers conduct vehicle inspections to ensure their buses are mechanically sound. They also teach students how to approach, board, ride, and exit buses safely, while practicing defensive driving techniques and maintaining constant awareness of traffic conditions around them.

“We aim to be the safest ones on the road,” said Dennison.

KSD Transportation's commitment to safety is also reflected in its performance and professional development efforts. The department consistently earns exceptional results during annual Washington State Patrol inspections, which evaluate the safety and condition of school buses. Drivers also participate in regional and state school bus rodeos, competitions that test vehicle handling, precision maneuvering, and safe driving skills.

"In the last ten years that I've been here, we've had outstanding results every single year," Dennison said. "We have a number of drivers who compete in the regional bus rodeos and also the state rodeos. We've had some of our drivers win state and move on to compete at the national rodeo level. We're really proud of them and how they've done."

As KSD continues its mission of successfully preparing all students for their futures, the Transportation Department's work helps remove barriers to access by providing a safe and dependable link between home and school for thousands of students every day.