FREMONT, Ohio — The five technicians at Bobby’s Truck and Bus Repair won’t have to lie flat on their backs on creepers or drag around heavy floor jacks anymore thanks to a state safety grant.

The school bus service and sales company will utilize the $27,000 grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to purchase a Rotary mobile lifting system.

“During our 26 years of business, our attentiveness to safety has helped us maintain a 100% injury-free work environment, and this grant will allow us to help our dedicated technicians do their job in a much more safe and efficient manner,” said Bobby Sears, president of Bobby’s Truck and Bus Repair.

According to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, the Safety Intervention Grant Program is available to any Ohio state-fund or public employer that wishes to purchase equipment to substantially reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses associated with a particular task or operation.

The grant for safety equipment for Bobby’s Truck and Bus Repair will help the small business maintain jobs and may help create new positions in the future, given the efficiency and utilization of space, company officials said. Bobby’s currently has two locations, in Fremont and Toledo, Ohio.

“On average, our employees have been with us for over six years, and we want to be sure they want to work with us for another six-plus years,” said Kellie Sears, vice president of Bobby’s Truck and Bus Repair. “These lifts will provide a comfortable atmosphere for our technicians by eliminating the physical stress that creepers and floor jacks impose, something they will greatly appreciate.”

Kellie Sears added that the grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation “means a lot for our small business. … This extra money will assist us in our efforts to maintain a safe work environment and retain our employees.”