School Bus Driver Arrested for DWI: Unacceptable Behavior

ALBANY, NY (07/10/2013)(readMedia)-- The New York Association for Pupil Transportation has issued a statement about the July 8th arrest of school bus driver, Manon B. Coyle, of Avon, NY, who is employed by the Geneseo Central School District, as follows:

"The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) deplores the conduct that school bus driver Manon Coyle of Geneseo Central School District is alleged to have committed. If all the charges are proven true, her actions were inexcusable and put the lives of the children on her school bus at risk, and that is unacceptable to us."

"Each and every day, some 50,000 specially licensed school bus drivers transport our children to and from school and to other school events, including summer school. These men and women do a wonderful job and are trusted members of our school transportation teams. Incidents like this serve to erode the trust of the public and tarnish the work and reputation of all the other bus drivers in the state."

"Our association has called for increased testing and observation of school bus drivers and we have endorsed legislation that would provide for such enhanced testing protocols. Our position calls for greater frequency and sampling of school bus driver tests as well as ensuring that sufficient and qualified management is available to administer random tests and daily observations. Pending local investigation, it is not clear that these changes would have prevented the events in Geneseo but we continue to believe that more preventive measures are needed to bolster our efforts to keep our children safe at all times."

"We regret the events in Geneseo but believe it is important to re-assure the public, especially our parents and students, that the school bus remains the absolute safest way to transport our children to school. We also want to underscore that school bus drivers are highly qualified and trained to do their jobs safely and properly."

For further information, please contact Executive Director, Peter Mannella, at 518-463-4937 or 518-588-3924 or peter@nyapt.org.