Safe Fleet, subsidiaries launch anti-bullying program

BELTON, Mo. — Safe Fleet and its subsidiaries have launched a nationwide “United Against Bullying” program and website: www.unitedagainstbullying.net.

The program’s main goal is to support schools and communities in their efforts to stop bullying. Safe Fleet will offer tools, resources and funding to support the best initiatives to prevent bullying and abusive behavior.

“As a company committed to providing safety solutions, we want to be proactive in addressing bullying,” said John R. Knox, president and CEO of Safe Fleet. “By engaging all our subsidiaries in the United Against Bullying program, we will offer expanded support to communities across North America in their efforts to create safe and respectful environments for children.”

Safe Fleet’s employees were inspired to unite for the cause by the “No Bullies on My Bus” campaign launched by Seon, a Safe Fleet brand, in 2013. Multiple school districts and transportation agencies took part in the Seon initiative, which helped spread awareness about bullying and sparked conversations for young people. Witnessing the positive outcome of Seon’s campaign in participating communities, Safe Fleet and its subsidiaries decided to broaden the campaign and join the anti-bullying movement, Safe Fleet officials said.

As part of the program, Safe Fleet will set in motion its “United Against Bullying” grant and an annual coloring contest. The grant will provide $25,000 for winning student transportation departments to implement or expand anti-bullying training programs. An additional $25,000 worth of school bus equipment — video cameras, stop arms, crossing arms and escape hatches — will be granted to school districts to increase student safety. Applications for each of the training and technology grants will be accepted from Aug. 1 until Oct. 31.

Safe Fleet’s coloring contest will be open to students from all school districts in the U.S. and Canada and held in two parts. In Part 1, from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15, participants will be asked to draw an outline on an anti-bullying topic. The winning outline will then be colored by the participants of Part 2 of the contest, held during National Bullying Prevention Month in October.

Detailed information about the grant and coloring contest are available on the official Safe Fleet anti-bullying campaign website.

“Our employees are honored to contribute their time and resources to support anti-bullying initiatives in communities across North America,” explained Bob Parks, vice president of human resources at Safe Fleet. “United by this important mission, we can achieve lasting results in empowering young people and putting an end to bullying across the country.”