The Measure J Traffic Congestion Relief Agency Board of Directors has contracted with North America’s leading student transportation provider, First Student, Inc., to operate the TRAFFIX service.

Serving 1,500+ school districts with more than 60,000 buses, First Student is committed to the safety and security of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) students.

First Student’s fully screened, trained and certified professional school bus drivers receive extensive pre-employment training and ongoing in-service training. They must also participate in additional in-service safety training annually before school starts, and are required to participate in monthly driving safety meetings.

Safely transporting 4 million students to and from school every day is a responsibility First Student takes very seriously. School buses operated by First Student are packed with safety features to protect students including:

1. A Global Positioning System (GPS) – This technology provides dispatchers with the exact location and speed of a school bus at any time. It also provides a record of each bus route and all of its stops, starts and passes.
2. Safety Crossing Gates – First Student was the first school bus company to install gates, now an industry standard, on the front of all buses to keep children from crossing directly in front of the bus so drivers can better see them.
3. Child Check Mate® System – All First Student buses are equipped with an electronic reminder system, which aids drivers in checking for sleeping children at the end of each route.
4. Flashing lights and extended stop arms warn motorists that children are boarding or unloading a bus.
5. Every First Student bus is designed with well-anchored seats with high backs that are heavily padded to absorb impact and create a protective envelop. The TRAFFIX fleet will have the additional safety feature of lap-shoulder seat belts.

The National Safety Council recently awarded Moir Lockhead, CEO of FirstGroup, a global transportation provider and parent company to First Student, the 2009 Green Cross for Safety Medal. This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding achievements in safety and health.

Safety is a core value for TRAFFIX and First Student. That’s why First Student is a perfect match for this congestion relief program that is also responsible for safely transporting SRVUSD students.