AFSCME
OAPSE Transportation Safety Committee Delivers Statement
Sunday, October 15th, 2023
After a tragic fatal accident early this school year, Governor DeWine formed a School Bus Safety Working Group to study student transportation and shape recommendations to improve safety. On October 12, that group met and OAPSE was there.
Lois Carson, OAPSE State President, and the members of the Transportation Safety Committee that she formed attended the meeting and delivered a statement to Governor DeWine’s Working Group on behalf of our union’s members statewide. (The full OAPSE statement can be found at the link below.)
OAPSE’s Transportation Safety Committee, chaired by OAPSE State Vice President Mike Lang, has been meeting since the Governor’s initial action and drafted their statement based on the concerns OAPSE members share on the issue of bus safety.
Transportation Committee Members pictured around the table (starting top left): Lois Carson, Randy Weston, Mike Lang, John Sindeldecker, Joe Rugola, Stephanie Wiley, Bev Payne. (Kathy Chamberlain not pictured)
When Governor DeWine formed his Working Group, he appointed one bus driver to the 15 member committee – OAPSE Northeast District President, and long-time bus driver, Davida Russell. Davida has attended all of the Working Group meetings and has helped shape the discussion on school bus safety.
“I am honored that Governor DeWine selected me to serve as a member of the Working Group studying school transportation safety.” Russell said. “I will be contributing the school bus driver viewpoint about the critical issues being studied and will advocate for the interests of bus drivers in the committee discussions.”
OAPSE Director of Political Action and Legislative Affairs, Randy Weston, has been attending the meetings and our union will continue to monitor the Governor’s Working Group. We will also continue to update OAPSE members as the Working Group moves towards recommendations later this year.