Safety-Driven Company Culture
Thorough and professional school bus driver training is critical to a driver’s confidence in their job, and we aim to foster a strong, safety-driven culture that empowers our employees to feel proud of the work they do.
It is our goal to hire school bus drivers and transportation staff who share our values of compassion, safety, and customer service, and we provide our employees with training of the highest level. We believe that starting each day with a familiar face is an important step in the education process, with drivers who are compassionate and confident in the safe management of their school bus. Our drivers receive sensitivity training for working with special needs students, learn bullying prevention and awareness methods, undergo regular drug and alcohol testing, and have their driving records reviewed on a regular basis.
Driver Training Program
Each driver employed by GoldStar Transit is required to attend the annual driver training administered on a state level. Additionally, our drivers must complete training each year using the nationally-recognized program, The Driver Training Course. This is a comprehensive system covering everything a school bus driver needs to know, while preparing them to manage their passengers with the utmost safety and care.
New drivers receive classroom instruction with certified trainers, and train behind-the-wheel before operating any vehicle for our customers.
In-Service & Virtual Learning
Providing flexible options for virtual training delivery has never been more important. Our Safety and Technology Teams worked together to develop our web-based learning management system (LMS) to help managers and trainers deliver the material their local teams need in an easily accessible format. The LMS allows instructors to bundle courses from across our course catalog into customizable programs that meet the unique needs of specific locations.
Monthly Safety Meetings
We provide our employees with quality training material throughout the year, with a series of campaigns that highlight specific topics during our mandatory monthly safety meetings.
The series focuses on key months of the school year with material that includes meeting presentations and quizzes, videos, prevention tips and safety reminders, printable safety activities, and more. The safety training campaigns are intended to enhance and supplement the additional efforts taking place locally and the specific needs of individual terminals and customers.
School Bus Monitors
Professionally trained monitors on our school buses allow drivers to keep their eyes solely on the road. We provide a comprehensive training program for our bus monitors that often exceeds state specifications. Our bus monitors are required to complete mandatory OSHA training prior to working on any bus, including:
- Post-trip walk throughs
- Student management training
- Special Needs sensitivity training
- Wheelchair and securement device training
- Drawstring warnings and awareness
- Safe school bus evacuation procedures
