SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

California District Runs ‘Kindness Bus’ for Anti-Bullying Awareness Month

Colton Joint Unified School District rolls out a message of kindness, inclusion, and acceptance to its students and community on one of its school buses for the second year in a row.

November 2, 2017
California District Runs ‘Kindness Bus’ for Anti-Bullying Awareness Month

Colton (Calif.) Joint Unified School District rolled out a message of kindness on one of its school buses for Anti-Bullying Awareness Month. Shown here is Erick Richardson, the district's transportation director, who came up with the idea for the Kindness Bus.

2 min to read


Colton (Calif.) Joint Unified School District rolled out a message of kindness on one of its school buses for Anti-Bullying Awareness Month. Shown here is Erick Richardson, the district's transportation director, who came up with the idea for the Kindness Bus.

COLTON, Calif. — A school district here recently rolled out a message of kindness, inclusion, and acceptance to the students and communities it serves on one of its school buses for the second year in a row.

Colton Joint Unified School District’s (CJUSD’s) Kindness Bus, which was the brainchild of Director of Transportation Erick Richardson, serves as a rolling billboard for the CJUSD Kindness Campaign.

The bus was decorated by Bloomington High School art students, who also came up with this year’s theme: "Be happy. Be kind."

District staff members boarded the bus and visited multiple school sites on Oct. 25, which is Unity Day: a day focused on anti-bullying and positive behaviors. Students saw the bus pull up to their campuses and received stickers and bookmarks with anti-bullying messages. Crowds of school staff and students clad in orange — the official color of Unity Day — welcomed the bus, holding posters with positive messages.

In addition to the tour on Unity Day, the Kindness Bus also visited schools in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month throughout October.

Students saw the Kindness Bus pull up to their campuses and received stickers and bookmarks with anti-bullying messages.

CJUSD is focusing on kindness in an effort to prevent bullying by reinforcing positive behaviors, as reflected in the district’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. The aim is to get the message of the Kindness Bus to stay with students and staff throughout the year.

“Our goal is to spread kindness throughout the entire community and to remind our students and community that being nice matters,” Richardson said.

 “As the Kindness Bus rolls through our neighborhoods, you can plainly see that it affects everyone,” he added. “The smiles on faces young and old are enough to know and feel that we are promoting positive behavior in our district. We want everyone to know that we do not accept bullying of any kind.”

Watch video of the event from CBS Los Angeles below.

More Management

Multiple generations of the Kobussen family posing in front of a school bus.
ManagementAugust 3, 2026

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Nearly 90 Years of Safely Transporting Wisconsin Students

From one farmer's act of service to a fourth-generation family business, Kobussen Buses reflects on nearly 90 years of earning the trust of Wisconsin families.

Read More →
Graphic for School Bus Fleet's "Changing Lanes" July 2026 personnel roundup featuring headshots of six industry professionals: Jamie Smith (AMF Buns), Dan Strock (Pro-Vision), Kyndra Webb (HopSkipDrive Council), Jared Schnader (CALSTART), Alycia Gilde (CALSTART), and Micah Enterz (Kooner Fleet Management Solutions), displayed on an orange geometric background.
Managementby StaffJuly 31, 2026

Changing Lanes: AMF Bruns, Pro-Vision, CALSTART, HopSkipDrive, & Kooner

Check out who's been hired, promoted, and appointed to leadership positions at various school transportation industry suppliers and nonprofits.

Read More →
Promo graphic for the 18th National Congress on School Transportation, featuring a conference audience background and text reading “May 4–6, 2029, St. Louis, Missouri,” alongside the NCST logo.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsJuly 29, 2026

NCST Announces 18th Congress Event Dates, New Committees

The National Congress on School Transportation moves to St. Louis in May 2029, convening delegates and industry representatives to discuss new best practice recommendations. Now, the new committee chairs have been named.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two school buses parked in front of the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 28, 2026

Key Moments from the 2026 NSTA Annual Meeting in the Mile High City

From federal policy updates and OEM presentations to speed networking and industry awards, see photos and highlights from the contractor association’s summer conference in Denver.

Read More →
A HopSkipDrive caregiver waits by an open car door in front of a house.
Managementby Elora HaynesJuly 27, 2026

HopSkipDrive Launches Spanish-Language App Update, Plans Additional Language Support

The update aims to improve communication with multilingual families by offering ride tracking, notifications, and support in Spanish, with more languages planned for the 2026-2027 school year.

Read More →
A yellow school bus is parked outside a school beneath a large oak tree with blooming white blossoms, framed by white buildings and a bright blue spring sky.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 27, 2026

Where the Yellow Bus Takes Us: School Bus Fleet's 2026 Photo of the Year Winners

See the winning photos from School Bus Fleet's 2026 Photo of the Year contest, featuring stunning school bus images from across the U.S., from scenic landscapes to everyday moments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic for a School Bus Fleet article titled "Understanding Emotional Intelligence," featuring wooden letter blocks spelling "IEQ" and the subtitle, "Tips for transportation leaders to stay calm in any situation."
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 26, 2026

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters in Student Transportation

Learn the five key elements that bus drivers and transportation directors can use to stay calm in any situation.

Read More →
Zonar Back to School Readiness Report for 2026
SponsoredJuly 23, 2026

2026 Back-To-School Readiness Report

Staffing gaps, flat budgets, and the distance between “mostly prepared” and ready for the 2026-2027 school year.

Read More →
Collage highlighting recipients of the 2026 National School Transportation Association awards at the Annual Meeting and Convention in Denver
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 23, 2026

National School Transportation Association Presents 2026 Award Winners

Twenty-one individuals and contractor companies were recognized for excellence in student transportation at NSTA's annual meeting and convention in Denver.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A South Carolina Public Schools school bus lineup with text reading "How To Make Routing Data Persuasive."
Managementby Elora HaynesJuly 21, 2026

School Transportation Data Is Only as Powerful as the Story It Tells

Leaders say turning operational metrics into student-centered narratives can help districts justify investments and improve service.

Read More →