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 is 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.
2023/2024 Safety Poster Contest Winners
Division 1 (Kindergarten to Grade 2)
First Place
Akshay Subash
Franklin Elementary School
Sewickley, Allegheny County
Second Place
Ziva Yerger
Selinsgrove Elementary School
Sewickley, Allegheny County
Third Place
Braelyn Smith
Selinsgrove Elementary School,
Selinsgrove, Snyder County
Division 2 (Grades 3 to 5)
First Place
Lorelei Murphy
Shamokin Area Elementary and Intermediate School
Coal Township, Northumberland County
Second Place
Evalyn Regetta
North Star Middle School
Stoystown, Somerset County
Third Place
Akhil Phani Bonthu
Franklin Elementary School
Sewickley, Allegheny County
Division 3 (Grades 6 to 8)
First Place
Noemi Barretta
Southern Middle School
Reading, Berks County
Second Place
Cathyanis Casiano Bonilla
Southern Middle School
Reading, Berks County
Third 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
(L-R) Kara Templeton, PSBA President Aaron Sepkowski, Joanne Cowan, Arlen Sanden and Corporal Zeina Black.
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
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.