THUNDER BAY – Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay held the 29th annual First Rider program on Saturday at Confederation College to give students a chance to get used to taking the school bus.
Craig Murphy, manager, Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay, says that the kids who participate have a blast and the parents get the peace of mind of knowing their kids will be comfortable taking the bus to school.
“It's our 29th year for First Rider. It's a great event and people look forward to it every year,” he said. “It's designed for first time bus riders. Typically, students are going into JK so before they start that their first day in September, we offer this event for them to come down and take a ride in the school bus.”
First time riders watch an online safety video and then, when they ride the bus, instructors onboard quiz them on their knowledge and let them ask questions while in a closed environment.
“They learn how to get on and off the bus safely, how to sit properly on the bus, how to, you know, they're allowed to talk, obviously, but they do quietly, not make loud noises,” said Murphy. “And they learn about how to wait for a bus stop.”
The instructors also go through the various safety steps of school bus riding with the children so they’re comfortable on the first day of school.
