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w w w .insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, Au gust 17, 2017 |26 Benefitsplan hasbeen introduced asan enticem ent continued from p.24 Oakville), Mississauga and Brampton. It' s a pretty substantial package," he said, noting the 50/50 premiums co-payment covers expenses like health and life insurance, drugs etc. "Typically, people leave us because they find full-time work. We are attractive to people who are newly retired," said McGlynn, noting about 60 per cent of its local drivers are retirees. Some have been driving buses for decades. Other ancillary benefits for drivers include being able to bring pre-school aged children with them on the bus during a shift and also dropping off and picking up their school-aged kids. A standard driving shift is two hours in the morning for drop-off and two hours in the mid afternoon for pick-up. The gross pay for such a shift is about $65 a day. Longer routes pay more. Extra pay can be earned through charter jobs. A driver can transport as few as six students at one time and as many as 70. "It's a great job for those who only want to work a few hours a day and (maybe) have other part-time work or (attend) school. "They become better drivers for themselves and their family. We train them to be professional # 1in P a tio s & D r iv e w a y s ! STAMPED CONCRETE >iNTERLOCKING · EXPOSED AGGREGATE 'FLAGSTONE Concr ete Interlo c k in g FRENCH CURBS RETAINING WALLS GARAGE FLOORS free e s t im a t e s 905-878-8595 Ask for John w w w .jm c c o n c re te .c a drivers," said McGlynn. To become a school bus driver, to start you have to be at least 21 years old, have three years with a `G' Class licence and hold a valid driver's licence. A B' Class licence is needed to drive a school bus with conventional brakes; buses with air brakes, like city transit buses, require a `BZ' Class licence. First Student recruits undergo 50 hours of in class and on-road instruction in attaining their `B' licence. The training is free. The company held a recruitment drive on Aug. 10 at its main Burlington site. A number of people showed up to ask questions, fill out an application form and do a quick test drive of a school bus within the facility's compound. Jennene Robinson was one of those who attended. "I do dog walking so the (bus driving) hours work perfectly for me," said the 50-year-old. She said she comes from a family of heavyduty truck mechanics, but had never driven anything bigger than a van before trying a 40foot school bus. "It is long, but if you watch your mirrors it's very helpful. With the crossover mirrors you can see so far out. "I think it' s a great part-time job for people," said Robinson. Meya Simwawa attended with her husband and their three-year-old daughter Charisa. "To have more time with my girl, and the hours are good," Meya said of what appeals to her about driving a school bus. "I thought I would be scared" to drive a large vehicle, "but I was not," she said. However, frightened is what First Student safety manager Kevin Bergman admitted was his reaction during his most memorable time driving a school bus with First Student. He recounted how about four years ago he was driving by the Halton police station on Dundas Street in Oakville, during the officers' shift change, when his bus's child alert safety system somehow activated. The on-board alarm brought an immediate response with four cruisers surrounding him. He recalls seeing officers approaching his bus with their hands on top of their gun holsters. It was scary at the time, but Bergman said he appreciated the quick response by police, whom he acknowledged had no idea what was happening on the bus or who was on it. First Student's main depot at 5401 Dundas St., west of Tremaine Road, in Burlington is hosting test drives of school buses every Thursday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for those considering becoming a driver. For more information, call 905-335-7010. For related story on what it's like to sit behind the wheel of a school bus, see p. 29. M iPrSI ___* ii i -----V I L L A G E ------ ORTHODONTICS || H jlia fr fljr jj! : . 1, ' S chedule an a p p o in tm e n t a t V illa g e O rth o d o n tics du rin g your Summer Break! t; A i __ i __ ' _v · ~ At Village Orthodontics we specialize in Invisalign® & Traditional Braces. Book your complimentary consultation today! 647-496-1424 2-2983 WestoakTrails Blvd., Oakville www.villageortho.ca [U W WW .SPOTLESSDRYCLEANERS.COM VISIT US ONLINE FOR A LOCATION NEAR YOU. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND RECEIVE COUPONS, IN STORE SPECIALS AND HELPFUL CLOTHING CARE TIPS. JOIN US: /SPOTLESSDC vicinity A3KU3 ABOUT OUR REWARDS PROGRAM