 Morningside Elementary teacher Judy Fraunhofer lowers kindergarten student Lorelai Stager from the bus as fellow classmate Joseph Cholico waits his turn during the Comal ISD bus safety training session at MES. Courtesy photo Bus safety training can be a positive thing for just about anyone involved. Comal ISD trainers have been busy lately touring each of the district’s 22 campuses, conducting practice drills that are required by House Bill No. 3190 to take place in both the fall and spring semesters. Despite the fact it means bus safety trainers will conduct drills for more than 14,000 students over a two-week span, the CISD transportation department said it’s been a very efficient operation. “Things are going very smoothly,” said Jan Martin, a veteran driver who helps with the safety training. “It’s definitely a big help to all our young pre-K and kindergarten students, who are learning some of this for the first time. It’s also great for our new drivers.” More than 30 brand-new drivers hired by the Comal ISD this school year are experiencing this kind of hands-on training with students. “It’s absolutely a great learning process,” said Dan Lewis, a first-year driver who was training at Morningside Elementary. “It’s important not just to read about this stuff, but to actually get out here and go through it. Like anything else, the better you’re trained on it, the more instinctive it becomes.” During the training, all students and campus staff members boarded Comal ISD buses, and were informed of the safety features of the bus. They learned how to operate a fire extinguisher, CB radio, and air brake, and then practiced a calm, orderly evacuation under the direction of the drivers. “It teaches people how to act right on the bus,” said Morningside Elementary fourth-grade student Jessica Perez. “We also learn what to do in case of an emergency, which is very important.” Gus Rodriguez, Comal ISD Director of Transportation, said his department certainly doesn’t mind giving the training sessions twice per school year. “It’s definitely something you hope you’ll never have to use,” Rodriguez said. “But it’s good for everyone to be prepared just in case.”
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