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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    National School Bus Safety Week

    Each year, PennDOT participates in National School Bus Safety Week, which was celebrated this year from October 21–​​25, 2024. For more information on School Bus Safety Week, visit National Association for Pupil Transportation.

    School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest

    Each year, PennDOT sponsors a school bus safety poster contest for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The winners of the poster contest are recognized at an event in Harrisburg held every October as part of National School Bus Safety Week. This year's theme was Driving Safely Into the Future.​

    2023/2024 Safety Poster Contest Winners

    The students, in kindergarten through eighth grade, were recognized for their winning entries in the 2024 School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The theme for the contest – Driving Safely Into the Future – reminds everyone of the important dynamic between students and their school bus drivers, who navigate commonwealth roadways daily to deliver students to school and home without incident.

    Division 1 (Kindergarten to Grade 2)

    1st Place:

    Akshay Subash​
    Franklin Elementary School
    Sewickley, Allegheny County

    2nd Place:

    Ziva Yerger
    Selinsgrove Elementary School
    Sewickley, Allegheny County

    3rd Place:

    Braelyn Smith
    Selinsgrove Elementary School, 
    Selinsgrove, Snyder County

    Division 2 (Grades 3 to 5)

    1st Place:

    Lorelei Murphy
    Shamokin Area Elementary and Intermediate School
    Coal Township, Northumberland County

    2nd Place:

    Evalyn Regetta
    North Star Middle School
    Stoystown, Somerset County

    3rd Place:

    Akhil Phani Bonthu​
    Franklin Elementary School
    Sewickley, Allegheny County

    Division 3 (Grades 6 to 8)

    1st Place:

    Noemi Barretta
    Southern Middle School
    Reading, Berks County

    2nd Place:

    Cathyanis Casiano Bonilla
    Southern Middle School
    Reading, Berks County

    3rd Place:

    Kolsen Clark
    Bald Eagle Area Middle School
    Wingate, Centre County

    Division 4 (Special Education)

    Daniel Vega
    Southern Middle School
    Reading, Berks County
    Daniel was unable to attend the ceremony.

    School Bus Driver Safe Driving Competition

    The Pupil Transportation Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania School Bus Association hold a Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safe Driving Competition every June to test school bus drivers' knowledge of safety rules and safe operation of their buses. A first-, second- and third-place winner is chosen, and the three winners of the competition are also recognized at an event held during National School Bus Safety Week. Approximately 60 school bus drivers from across Pennsylvania participate in the competition each year.

    2024 School Bus Driver Safety Competition

    The winners of this year's School Bus Driver Safety Competition are as follows:

    • 1st Place Conventional Style – Cheryl Vogelsang, On The Go Kids (Cheryl was unable to attend the ceremony.)
    • 2nd Place Conventional Style – Joanne Cowan, Krapf School Bus
    • 3rd Place Conventional Style – Arlen Sanden, Krise Transportation
    (L-R) Kara Templeton, PSBA President Aaron Sepkowski, Joanne Cowan, Arlen Sanden and Corporal Zeina Black.​

    There were no Transit Style Buses entered in the competition this year.

    PennDOT would like to congratulate all of the winners and say thank you to all of the students who participated in the School Bus Safety Poster contest and all school bus drivers for keeping our children safe on a daily basis.