As the new school year approaches, more than 140 school bus drivers and transportation staff from across the region gathered Wednesday at Bellefontaine High School for the annual County Plus in-service training, spending the day sharpening their skills and preparing for the safe transportation of students.
The annual event fulfills Ohio’s required in-service training for school bus drivers while giving transportation departments an opportunity to work together and practice real-world emergency situations.
Transportation directors and drivers from Bellefontaine, Indian Lake, West Liberty-Salem, Urbana, Ridgemont, Hardin Northern, and Benjamin Logan participated in the training, with a handful of drivers also attending from Graham and Kenton.
Throughout the day, drivers rotated through a variety of hands-on training stations designed to reinforce safety procedures they may encounter during the school year.
One of the most realistic exercises simulated a smoke-filled school bus, where drivers practiced safely evacuating and rescuing students during an emergency. Another station allowed participants to use a fire extinguisher, giving them hands-on experience responding to a potential bus fire.
Drivers also worked through a scenario involving a school bus resting on its side, learning proper techniques for safely removing students after a rollover crash.
Additional training focused on maneuverability, helping drivers navigate tight turns and confined spaces they’ll encounter on daily routes.
Inside the school, participants attended classroom presentations covering transportation safety topics and took turns using driving simulators that recreated challenging road and weather conditions in a controlled environment.
Local transportation directors talked about planning the event and the feedback they received from the participants.
Several local agencies partnered in the training, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Bellefontaine Police Department, and Bellefontaine Fire & EMS, each sharing their expertise and reinforcing the importance of teamwork during emergency situations.
The day concluded with a gift card raffle, providing a fun ending to a day centered on professionalism, preparedness, and student safety.
With classes beginning soon across the area, organizers say the annual County Plus in-service ensures drivers are ready to safely transport what they call their most important passengers—the students who rely on them every day.
