Nebraska Panhandle Consortium Extends Contract with First Student

April 6, 2016 - Scottsbluff, Neb. - The decision to partner with First Student is delivering results for school districts in the Nebraska Panhandle Consortium. Gering and Scottsbluff Public Schools recently awarded a four-year contract extension to First Student, the trusted leader in student transportation. The company will continue to drive the districts forward through the 2016-17 school year and beyond.

Prior to First Student joining the community in 2012, transportation services for Gering and Scottsbluff Public Schools were district run and separately operated. The school districts decided each could benefit from not only sharing services, but also the experience First Student has managing similar operations. The company's high safety standards and the ability to offer enhanced transportation solutions were also important to the districts.

"We value the continued trust in us to deliver," said First Student Area General Manager John Billigmeier. "First Student is dedicated to forming true partnerships with the school districts we serve. Working closely with Gering and Scottsbluff Public Schools, we have been able to use our insights, expertise and resources to provide safe and reliable service to students and their families each school day."

The school districts and students have benefited from an upgraded bus fleet with leading-edge technology. First Student added GPS systems, cameras, crossing gates and Child Check-Mate to school buses that serve the districts. First Student leads the industry in innovation by continuously researching, developing and investing in technology that creates the best ride to and from school.

"By partnering with First Student, we were able to improve our fleet and work with true professionals who understand the transportation industry better than we do," said Gering Public Schools Superintendent Bob Hastings. "We have been pleased with the services that First Student has provided our students, and we look forward to continuing our relationship for years to come."

The school districts also selected First Student for its extensive, industry-leading driver training program, which consists of a mix of classroom and behind-the-wheel training on topics from student behavior management to bus safety. First Student drivers typically complete more than 50 hours of training before driving passengers, which is more than the Federal Aviation Administration requires of student pilots. The company's hiring, training and ongoing development programs for drivers and monitors help deliver a ride that is twice as safe as the industry average.

"First Student drivers are highly trained and they utilize modern, well-maintained vehicles," said Scottsbluff Public Schools Superintendent Rick Myles. "The company's quality service has significantly enhanced our ability to provide our students with safe and efficient transportation. With the many thousands of miles our children travel across the state each year for sports and co-curricular activities, this is especially important."

First Student transports approximately 1,200 students in the Nebraska Panhandle Consortium. The company provides advantages that smaller districts typically cannot afford, including comprehensive maintenance and computerized routing, as well as sophisticated driver development and safety programs.

About First Student, Inc.
As the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. First Student completes six million student journeys each day, moving more passengers than all U.S. airlines combined. With a team of highly-trained drivers and the industry's strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization and scheduling, and charter services for 1,300 school district contracts. For more information, please visit firststudentinc.com.