NORTHUMBERLAND, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Winners of the Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone)/Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA) Safety Grant were announced at the PSBA’s Annual Conference at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, Pennsylvania, on June 24.
Winners included Fred and LeeAnn Kline with Allegheny Transportation of Aetna, as well as John Polli with Reliance Student Transportation and Lisa Newcomer with F&S Transportation, both of York.
Keystone and the PSBA partnered in 2018 to offer the first annual Safety Grant as an opportunity to improve safety of fleet operations or services provided to employees or students. The grant offers up to $30,000 for winners to implement proposed safety initiatives throughout the course of a year, with the opportunity to showcase their efforts during the next year’s annual conference.
Allegheny Transportation proposed a mascot, Gus the Goose, to minimize injuries by appearing in videos, at school assemblies and in signs on buses to help students remember safety rules. Reliance Transportation proposed the installation of electronic “child check” units in their passenger vans to minimize the chances of a child being left in a van. F&S Transportation proposed creating an eco-friendly driver simulator for new and seasoned drivers to test their skills in real-world environments while saving on fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
“Judging of all 14 applications and scoring for the grant was extremely competitive,” explained Michael Berk, PSBA executive director. “The proposals we received showed ingenuity, creativity and our members’ ongoing commitment to the safe transportation of our students. We encourage applicants not selected to re-submit for 2019.”
“Safety is the utmost importance in transporting students to school, and we recognized the opportunity to enhance both awareness and contractor operations through a safety grant,” said Brian Brusoski, senior vice president of property and casualty with Keystone. “Giving operators a chance to select their initiatives was unique and effective, and it will inspire other operators in future years. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
About Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone) -- Keystone started in 1983 when four independent insurance agencies teamed up to pool their experience and expertise. This small group believed that agencies could be stronger and more successful if they linked arms -- a passion and spirit that continues. Growing to almost 300 independent agency partners in 11 states, Keystone provides its agents with a community of like-minded agencies, industry expertise and access to specialized products for their clients. Keystone is ranked number three on Insurance Journal's 2017 list of Top 20 Privately-Held Property/Casualty Agency Partnerships. For more information, go to www.keystoneinsgrp.com.
About PA School Bus Association (PSBA) – The Pennsylvania School Bus Association was founded in 1980 and consists of over 300 school transportation contractors and industry partners who have come together to be a strong voice for school transportation safety and the school transportation contracting industry. Their mission is to provide programs, education and services to promote and foster the highest degree of safety in the transportation of school children and strengthen the quality of student transportation through professional management. PSBA works with many Pennsylvania organizations and government agencies to advance the mission and accomplish the goals of the membership. For more information, go to www.paschoolbus.org.
