The department operates more than 300 buses and transports 26,000 students. The average daily ridership exceeds 115 students per bus, which makes it one of the most efficient in the state. The competition pits teams of 30 to 44 drivers against one another. The team with the lowest percentage of accidents per miles driven is declared the winner. Updates of the year-long competition are issued every two weeks.
Winners receive gift certificates for a family meal and a safe-driving pin.
In addition, a plaque commemorating the winning team is hung on the superintendent's wall. Also contributing to the decline in accidents, Fredricksen says, is the district's extensive driver training program. Every bus driver is required to attend one two-hour safety training class per month. The courses are taught by two safety specialists employed by the district. Greater success in recruiting drivers has helped to buoy spirits this year.