FROM STAFF REPORTS

Buster the Bus rolled into several Shelby County elementary schools last week to teach K-2 grade students about bus safety. Buster first visited the schools last year, and many of the older students remembered many of the bus safety rules he shared then.

“Who can tell me one of the bus safety rules that Buster taught you last year,” asked Buster’s operator, Bryan Nash.

“Never stand up on the bus,” replied one student.

“Never stick your arms or your head out the window,” replied another.

Nash, who is retired from the State Department of Education and the Athens City School District’s Transportation Department, praised the older students for what they remembered from last year. He then rolled out the motorized, talking robot to reinforce those messages and to teach them to the kindergarten students who were experiencing Buster for the first time.

Buster interacted with both students and teachers to drive home his message of keeping students safe while waiting at a school bus stop, or while entering, riding, or exiting a bus. He specifically wanted students to understand about the 10-foot danger zone surrounding a bus, where a bus driver’s view is often obstructed.

“Never get into the danger zone,” Buster told the students. “Because the bus driver can’t see you.”

Buster visited Calera Elementary, Linda Nolen Learning Center, Elvin Hill Elementary and Shelby Elementary the week of October 7-11. He will return the last week of October to visit the remaining Shelby County Elementary schools.