First Student wins award from National Safety Council

The school bus contractor is recognized with an Occupational Excellence Achievement Award. The honor is for companies that have reported injuries and illnesses that involved days away from work equal to or less than 50% of the Bureau of Labor Statistics rate for their national industry classification and have had no fatalities during the previous calendar year.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

July 17, 2014

First Student wins award from National Safety Council — From left: Paul Gibson, National Safety Council; Gary Catapano, First Student’s senior VP of safety; Dennis Maple, president of First Student; and Michael Pollock, National Safety Council.

1 min to read

School bus contractor First Student was recently recognized with an Occupational Excellence Achievement Award by the National Safety Council (NSC) for its commitment to provide a safe work environment.

The award recognizes companies that have reported injuries and illnesses that involved days away from work equal to or less than 50% of the Bureau of Labor Statistics rate for their national industry classification and have had no fatalities during the previous calendar year.

Officials said that the employee injury rate for First Student is less than half the rate of the school bus industry.

“This award is really a reflection of the dedication to safety our location teams put into practice every day,” said Gary Catapano, First Student’s senior vice president of safety. “This award belongs to our managers and employees, and we can all take pride in this recognition of their accomplishment.”

First Student also received an NSC Occupational Excellence Achievement Award for 2012. Its parent company, FirstGroup, was awarded the NSC Green Cross for Safety Medal in 2009 for its commitment to safety and outstanding safety record across all of its divisions.

Topics:First Student Inc.FirstGroup America Safety

More Safety

Safety•June 11, 2026

Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System

The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.

Safety•by Elora Haynes•June 9, 2026

N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students

New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.

Graphic for an opinion article on illegal school bus passing. A school bus with its stop arm extended is stopped as children cross the street, while a black SUV drives past. Headline reads, “America’s School Bus Blind Spot.” School Bus Fleet branding appears in the corner.

Safety•June 8, 2026

America Has a School Bus Passing Problem — and Distraction Is Making It Worse

Illegal school bus passing remains a major safety threat as distracted driving rises. This op-ed explores why awareness, enforcement, and stop-arm cameras matter more than ever.

A black, white, and red graphic with an image of a school bus on a New York street and text reading "Legislative Roundup May 2026."

Safety•by Elora Haynes•May 29, 2026

School Bus Laws to Watch: New York Delays EV Mandate

Plus, federal lawmakers seek new funding for school bus safety as states weigh stop-arm enforcement, disability protections, and education spending.

The Essential Handbook for Safe Alternative Student Transportation

Your district's "exception riders" — students with IEPs, those experiencing homelessness, foster care youth — deserve more than a middleman solution. This handbook breaks down exactly what to look for in a supplemental transportation partner: from driver vetting and regulatory compliance to proactive safety technology. Because getting a ride isn't the same as getting a safe one.