Our Safety Mission

Our mission is to provide a safe workplace through communication and education to promote a zero accident culture. Our duty is to prevent accidents before they happen and provide a formal mechanism for handling safety issues and concerns that may occur.

Our Safety Binder
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How does McIlwain maintain a safe fleet and highly trained employee database?

From the time our employees arrive at work to the time they park the bus, safety is their #1 priority. In our industry, there is an unwavering commitment to keeping your children safe. It all starts before the bus even rolls off the lot. Our drivers perform and sign-off on daily pre-trip AND post-trip inspections to ensure the fleet vehicle is properly serviced and ready for transportation. Each vehicle has a two way radio installed in order for the driver to maintain immediate communications with our dispatchers in the event they need assistance.

What is the danger zone, how do you avoid it?

The Danger Zone is the space all around the school bus. It extends out 10 feet in all directions. The School Bus Driver cannot see you in this zone. The most dangerous area is at the front of the bus and near the back wheels. It is very dangerous to be in the Danger Zone.

Avoid the Danger Zone by:

-- Making eye contact with the driver before crossing the road.
-- Waiting for the driver to signal you when it is safe to cross.
-- Ensuring it is safe. Look left, right, then left again
-- Passing in front of the yellow crossing arm.
-- NEVER CROSSING BEHIND THE BUS.

School Buses and Seat Belts

School buses over 10,000 pounds do not require seat belts because the occupant is protected by what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) has called "compartmentalization." Compartmentalization is the concept that crash protection is provided by a protective envelope consisting of strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs. School buses also have other built in safety features to further protect the occupant. They have emergency exits, a sturdy roof structure, and are generally bigger and heavier than other vehicles on the road today. Because of these safety features and the consistency year in and year out of school bus safety records, seat belts are not a requirement.

Our Drug and Alcohol Policy

McIlwain School Bus Lines, Inc. has a zero tolerance policy for drug and alcohol use. All employees are required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and are then entered into our pool of random drug testing which we do throughout the school year. At McIlwain, we meet and exceed all US DOT standards.

Thorough Background Checks

All drivers are required to pass a criminal history check prior to employment, Motor Vehicle Report (MVR), and FBI Fingerprinting. This process ensures that the drivers we hire are responsible individuals fully capable of providing unparalleled service to the school districts.

Driver Training

School bus drivers are required to attend 14 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of on-road instruction at a minimum before attaining their school bus license.

At McIlwain, our drivers achieve on average 23 hours of training time.

For drivers that already have a school bus license, they are required to take a recertification class every four years. This consists of seven hours classroom instruction and three hours of on-road instruction. The recertification process is utilized to hone the skills of current drivers and give them the opportunity to learn of any changes that may have occurred within federal or state regulations.

Did you Know?

We transport for all types of activities:

Testimonials

Excellence in Safety—It’s the foundation of our business!
Conrad Sikirica, Safety Committee Chairman