On Wednesday, drivers should be on the lookout for school buses starting their routes for the first official day of classes for Wichita Public Schools. More than 500 buses will be transporting 16,000 students daily.
Safety is on the minds of staff at the First Student bus company. Training center manager Renee Boydo says drivers should allow plenty of distance between themselves and school buses on the road.
"We all have to share the roadway," Boydo says. "We want to make sure these 16,000 kids get to and from school safely."
She says motorists should also prepare to stop when they see flashing lights on a school bus.
"If you pass a school bus with a stop sign out that is loading and unloading kids, here in Kansas, it’s a minimum of a $300 fine," she says.
Boydo says even on a four lane road, drivers need to stop for the bus stop sign. According to a recent survey, First Student recorded more than 200 stop arm violations in Wichita on a daily basis.
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
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