Unequaled in responsibility among New York State’s professional drivers is the school bus driver.
These highly trained drivers transport children to and from school safely in all kinds of weather,
traffic, and road conditions.
In recognition of their dedication, the New York State Association of Pupil Transportation (NYSAPT)
holds an annual competition called School Bus Safety “Roadeo Day” to test drivers’ skills.
The Mid-Hudson regional competition, hosted this year by the
Mid-Hudson Transportation Supervisors Association in Beacon, was held in May and 
Jean Bain,
a school bus driver for Ulster BOCES, won a first place trophy in the Van Division.
“It’s always a fun day,” Bain says. Her overall score of 95, with perfect scores on the pre-trip and written portions of the test, qualifies her to compete in the statewide Roadeo Day on July 9 in Albany where she will test her skills against drivers from across New York State.
The NYSAPT Roadeo competition is held annually to recognize and celebrate school bus drivers’ dedication to their profession. New York State certified school bus drivers must meet a long list of specific qualifications and regulations. Some of those include successful completion of a road test, written test, and physical performance test. Drivers are subject to fingerprinting, random drug and alcohol testing, and an annual review of driving records. Drivers must take defensive driving and safety courses twice a year. Annual medical and eye examinations are also required.
In the Roadeo competitions, drivers must make a pre-trip inspection of their vehicle, looking for “planted” bus defects, and take a timed driving test where they must navigate successfully through a variety of obstacles. They also must take a written examination that is based upon the laws and regulations of the New York State Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and Department of Motor Vehicles.
This was not Bain’s first Roadeo competition and not her first trophy. In fact, she has quite a collection – a couple of second-place trophies from earlier in her career and in the last two years she has brought home first place trophies. Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, Bain started working as a school bus driver for Ulster BOCES in November 2004. Before that, she was a bus driver in the Highland Central School District for eight years. She transports students in all grade levels, including those with special needs.
“The students are great,” Bain says. “They teach me something new every day. I enjoy what I do. It’s a lot of fun and very rewarding.”
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