FirstGroup : Employees receive awards from National School Transportation Association

19 Jul 2017

Indianapolis - The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) recently recognized six First Student employees for their valuable contributions to the school-bus industry.

First Student Safety Manager Lydell Banks, Region Training Center Manager Darlene Davis, Location Manager Emma Hussey, and Senior Director Scott Parker received Golden Merit Awards from NSTA. The award honors achievements in safety, driver training and operational excellence.

First Student Driver Manny Vasquez received the Outstanding Driver Service Award for demonstrating exemplary safety performance and a commitment to excellence. Driver Hannah Beard was a division winner for the International Safety Competition.

'Lydell, Darlene, Emma, Scott, Manny and Hannah have worked tirelessly to ensure school buses remain the safest way for students to get to and from school,' said First Student President Dennis Maple. 'We are proud they received this recognition for their commitment to the industry, our company and the communities they serve.'

As a safety manager, Banks has developed creative training and safety initiatives which have improved safety performance at First Student locations in Louisiana and Mississippi. The National Safety Council (NSC) named Banks a past 'Rising Star of Safety.'

For the past ten years, Davis has served as region training center manager for First Student in the Kansas City area. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of safety, training and recruiting programs. Davis currently serves as secretary for the Kansas School Pupil Transportation Association (KSPTA).

Hussey manages the First Student location in Windsor, Ontario. She began her career as a driver and advanced through various roles with First Student. Under her management, Hussey's location has consistently led the Canadian market in delivering superior service.

As senior director of First Planning Solutions (FPS), Parker is focused on ensuring safe bus routes for school districts across North America. Under his leadership, FPS has become an unparalleled resource in the industry. FPS develops and creates efficient, sensible bus routes, while reducing operational costs for school districts.

Vasquez has been a driver for the First Student location in Phoenix for the past 14 years. Not only has he worked to form meaningful relationships with the high school students on his route, but also the community he serves. For the past three years, Vasquez has spent thousands of dollars of his own money to make sandwiches to hand out to the homeless.

Beard is a driver for the First Student location in St. Charles, Missouri. She won the transit division of the International Safety Competition. The event included a written and driving tests. Beard qualified by placing first in the state competition.in Missouri.

All of these First Student employees were recognized this week during the NSTA annual meeting and convention in Indianapolis.