CINCINNATI — School transportation provider First Student is shining a spotlight on safe school bus behavior this back-to-school season with its third annual Safety Dog Bus Tour.

The nationwide tour uses interactive activities to teach safe bus riding basics to elementary school students and their parents.    

“Student safety is at the heart of everything we do,” said Dennis Maple, president of First Student. “For the third year in a row, the Safety Dog Bus Tour provides an engaging platform to share valuable safety messages with thousands of students and their parents within the communities we serve. By making it fun, safety messages are delivered in a memorable way.”

At the tour stops, students will be able to explore a First Student bus; walk a yellow carpet and pose for a photo with Safety Dog, the safety mascot for First Student; sign a safety pledge; and leave with a bag of goodies.  

Parents can learn about what makes school buses the safest way to transport their children to and from school.

The tour also aims to remind motorists that they, too, have an important role in keeping bus riders safe by obeying the laws of stop-arm safety. A recent national survey coordinated by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services found that nearly 80,000 drivers illegally passed school buses in one day.  

Tour dates, times, locations, safety tips, and downloadable activities for students and parents are available at safetydogbustour.com. Safety tips and tour updates also can be found by following First Student on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well as by using the #SafetyDogBusTour hashtag.

The 2017 Safety Dog Bus Tour kicks off on Aug. 17 in Ogden, Utah.