Love the Bus Campaign

The National Association for Pupil Transportation is honoring school bus drivers nationwide during February for “Love the Bus Month.” To learn more facts and safety tips about the national icon for education, the school bus, visit NAPT Love the Bus.

Love the Bus "Top 5"

The Top 5 ideas for Transportation Directors & School Bus Contractors

For School District Transportation Directors:

1. Send letter/email to all school principals to give them ideas and links for their teachers for LTB week - encourage info to go home with bus riding students.
2. Work with district communication or PIO office to have press release or media information sent out 1 week prior to 2/14 - include Champion program if possible.
3. Encourage drivers of elementary students to decorate the inside of the bus with valentines, and/or, start a "LTB bulletin board" inside the bus for children's notes & drawings.
4. Allow buses to park at schools on 2/14 so that classroom may come out to visit the bus, thank driver and leave a note - this is always good for students who are non-bus riders so that they too can experience the inside of a bus.
5. Insure all transportation staff and school board members are aware of national LTB activities, links for toolkit and other resources. Visit NAPT website for continuous information on school bus facts and figures, safety, etc.

For School Bus Contractors:

1. Give the drivers a Love the Bus logo item (t-shirt, pin, sticker, etc.) to wear while driving throughout the week.
2. Host a driver appreciation event in your terminal.
3. Purchase ad space on a billboard near a high traffic area for the week/month thanking the drivers for their service.
4. Give the drivers a Love the Bus logo item (t-shirt, pin, sticker, etc.) to wear on their routes throughout the week.
5. Issue a joint press release to the community press about Love the Bus and asking the community to recognize school bus drivers they see.

For ALL - In conjunction with Schools & Social Media:

1. Co-Host a driver-appreciation night with school administration - Organize a “Meet/Thank the Drivers” night with the PTA/PTO.
2. Host an at school event where the children and staff can thank the drivers and learn about the yellow school bus. Organize a pep rally with the school!
3. Provide teachers with a suggested lesson plan to use.
4. Have the school post a notice in their front yard marquee about Love the Bus and driver appreciation.
5. Use FaceBook and Twitter to create "fan" pages with a "Love the (school district/company name) Bus" and have drivers and students become "friends" to link to the pages.

For additional information, e-mail: Susan Miller