Dr. Portia Brandt, School Superintendent and bus driver, Christine Raymer guide the last of the kindergardeners on the bus for a short ride before school starts during their orientation Thursday night at Myers Elementary School.

MUNCY – Four new classes of kindergarten students will start this week and are they ever excited. For last Thursday evening, they had the opportunity to ride a school bus and learn all about safety when riding a school bus. “This is important for them. Many of these youngsters have never been on a bus before and will need to ride a school bus for field trips, even if they walk to school or get a ride by parents,” said Superintendent, Dr. Portia Brandt.

Brelsford Transportation, Inc. in Muncy loaned one of their buses for the kindergarten orientation so the kids could get a short ride and experience what it is like to ride in a bus.

At 6 p.m. a group of ten youngsters lined up to board the bus as Dr. Brandt ushered them into their seats.

Before starting the bus, senior bus driver, Christine Raymer, went over some safety tips to the eager faces as they were engulfed in the large seats of the newest bus with Brelsford. Although you couldn’t see them in the seats, the oversized seats are designed for safety which is why they are so high explained Raymer.

“Stay in your seats at all times and do not block the aisles,” she told them. “No laying down on the seats. It could be dangerous if I have to put the air brakes on suddenly and we come to a halted stop,” she told them. The children are not required to wear seat belts. This has always been a point of contention but buses are one of the safest modes of travel. “Studies show that buses are not majorly involved in traffic accidents,” said Mrs. Raymer who has been driving a school bus for 38 years. She is also the CDL trainer for other bus drivers with Brelsford.

As the orientation progressed the kids would line up in groups of ten to get a safety lesson and the bus ride. They were also advised not to chew gum, candy or lollipops to prevent choking and no eating on the bus. “It is important that you keep your little butts in the seats and not to distract the driver so we can get there safely,” added Mrs. Raymer.

A fire drill exercise is done two times a year where half of the kids exit from the rear emergency exit door, and the other half are required to exit from the front. Brelsford equips the buses with emergency door handles that make a loud noise if executed.

While the students were getting their lesson on bus safety, the parents were able to talk to their teachers in their respective classrooms. Organized activities were monitored in the cafeteria for the youngsters while the groups alternated bus rides.

Mrs. Leonard, Title 1 Reading Recovery Instructor for the district read them a story “The Wheels on the Bus” and Mrs. Wisowaty, a reading specialist helped them cut circles and write their names on a colored activity sheet with the number 90, their designated school bus number.

Brelsford Transportation was started in 1933 by George M. Brelsford in Muncy, then it was taken over by Glenn Brelsford and it is now owned and operated by Gary Brelsford. The company is located on 37 S. Main Street and currently have 14 buses serving the Muncy School District.