MADISON — Bus drivers, mechanics and other transportation workers enjoyed plates of crisp bacon, sausage, biscuits and pastries during their appreciation breakfast on Oct. 18, sponsored by the Madison City Schools district.

“Madison City Schools transportation employees work hard every day ensuring the safe delivery of students to and from schools and field trips,” MCS Public Relations Manager John S. Peck said. “School officials held an appreciation breakfast simply to say thanks in conjunction with National and State School Bus Safety Week on Oct. 16-20.”

MCS Superintendent Robby Parker thanked the workers and told them that they are a vital part of the school district. “If I don’s show up, people might ask for a few days, ‘Where is Mr. Parker?,’ but everything will go on as usual. If you don’t show up, we don’t start school.”

“The most important person in the district is not the superintendent or assistant superintendent. Our bus drivers, teachers, custodians and cafeteria workers are really the most important,” Parker said.

Madison Police Chief David Jernigan, Police Sgt. Jordan and MCS Assistant Superintendent – Operations Eric Terrell joined Parker as guests at the appreciation breakfast. Officers with Madison Police Department play an important part in the safety effort for students, Peck said.

MCS transports approximately 5,000 students daily to its 11 schools and logs a combined 723,000 miles annually, including field trips and athletic events. “Mechanics stay busy maintaining the fleet to make sure buses are safe and in good operation,” Peck said.

MCS Transportation Director Roosevelt Carter said drivers, mechanics and route specialists are “where the rubber meets the road in school bus safety. We take our role very seriously in ensuring that we deliver kids to school and home safely, as well as to field trips and extracurricular events.”

“We love doing this, but we need the combined help of school staffs, students, parents, police and others in the community,” Carter said. “Even one accident would be too many.”

Statewide, buses transport 374,000 children each day to Alabama public schools.

For more information about the fleet, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us and click “Transportation” in the list on the left of the window.