Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District

Rio Grande City students in good hands of district's school bus drivers

RGCCISD News Release

RIO GRANDE CITY - Rio Grande City school district school children are in safe hands when they ride school buses.

That's because RGCCISD's Transportation Department built a marvelous record of safety the past year.

The department logged more than a million miles busing some 4,550 students a day without an accident caused by a school bus driver.

In fact last year, despite the district's school buses traveling the equivalent of going to the moon and back twice and around the world four times for good measure, Rio buses were involved in only four accidents total.

Director of Transportation Manuel Benavidez Jr. said the outstanding safety record is due to several reasons, including an on-going safety training program and dedicated drivers.

Drivers must earn a 20-hour certification from the Region I Educational Service Center and get recertified every two y ears.

Also, the district's 71 drivers also have a smorgasbord of safety training.

Benavidez, starting his fourth year as the district's chief of transportation, said drivers are obligated to attend in-house training offered by the district and regular safety meeting conducted by safety trainers, supervisors and experienced bus drivers themselves.

Bus drivers take courses in CPR and first aid and are involved in an at-random drug/alcohol screening.

"We have extensive training devoted to safety given by Isaias Bazan, Arturo Treviño and Gracian Perez,'' Benavidez said.

The official goal of the department is "to ensure a safe and pleasant trip on every route to and from school that will enhance the positive learning environment for each students on a daily basis.''

Benavidez said his department takes that goal seriously.

"Obviously, we instill in our bus drivers that safety is our priority, and our bus drivers have taken ownership of our fine safety record,'' he said. "They are so proud of our department not being in an accident that was our fault.''

Like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter, Rio's bus drivers are well aware of the long streak of faultless travel.

"They take safety very personally. The attitude and desire of our bus drivers is to provide a safe ride for our students and to stay accident free,'' he said.

Last year the department traveled 946,335 miles taking students from home to school and back. It went another 149,814 miles on extra-curricular trips.

Each day the district runs 45 regular routes, seven for special needs and one each for PEP and community aide transporter. There are 12 routes for Pre-kindergarten students and five for the Alternative Center (SEAS).

Daily the transportation provides buses for students in Coca-Cola Youth, Law Enforcement, special education workforce, vocational programs and the occupational health clinical rotation.

Also, there are extra-curricular trips each day for athletics (five), choir (two), band (five), tutorials (21 seasonal) and JROTC (two).

The department recently received approval from the RGCCISD Board of Education to acquire eight new buses and to build a new "bus barn'' facility.

It is easy to see that the Transportation Department has stayed busy - safely.

"I think our record is a good reflection on our bus drivers and department,'' Benavidez said. "We try our very best to instill pride in our drivers and they now feel that their job is a very integral part of the whole school operation.''