TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF
PUPIL TRANSPORTATION
Student Safety is our Business!

                                     Tennessee School Bus Safety Competition

Audience: Transportation Directors, Student Transportation Personnel

Contact: Alex.Spann@tn.gov or Brian.Yarbro@tn.gov

The Tennessee Department of Education is pleased to announce the inaugural Tennessee School Bus Safety Competition, a specialized event designed to test and showcase the skills of school bus drivers across the state of Tennessee. This competition will focus on the safety, precision, and the unique challenges associated with driving a school bus all while promoting the industry and its stakeholders in a positive manner.  

Below outlines the event and category, eligibility, and scoring information. The individual winner in each category at the regional level competition, as well as the winning team from each region, will receive an invitation to represent their district at the State Final Competition in conjunction with the Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation (TAPT) Conference in June 2025 at Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg.

The winners of the state-level competition will then be invited to participate and represent Tennessee in the International Safety Competition in Austin, TX in late June 2025. The competition, and its events, are directly aligned and designed to the School Bus Drivers International Safety Competition specifications. 

Driver Eligibility Information: 

Transportation Directors may nominate up to three (3) active drivers to participate as contestants in the individual competition(s) as well as an optional overall team event. 

Nominated drivers must have: 

• no preventable accidents within 24 months of the competition date, and

• maintain an acceptable attendance record (at the discretion of the director). 

Event & Category Information: 

Drivers will compete in one (1) of the following categories, which will be chosen at the time of registration: 

• Type A School Bus 

• Type C School Bus 

• Type D School Bus 

Buses will be supplied for the event. Additionally, the make, model, and capacity will be announced 14 days prior to the assigned event. 

The overall competition may consist of the following events (depending on space and in no specific order): 

• Written Exam (consisting of basic school bus knowledge) 

• Driving Obstacle Course 

• Offset Lane Backing 

• Simulated Railroad Crossing 

• Straight Line Backing 

• Diminishing Clearance 

• Curb Line Stop/Pickup 

• Back-up/Alley Dock 

• Left & Right Turns 

• Parallel Parking 

• Student Loading 

• Stop Line Distance 

Judging & Scoring:

Transportation operations who nominate drivers will be asked to provide two volunteer judges for the regional event in which they are assigned. Prior to the beginning of the obstacle course event(s), all judges will be assigned to a station, and their roles will be reviewed as well as reviewing the scoring system. 

Registration links will be available soon. For more information, contact Alex Spann at 615-490-1754 or at alex.spann@tn.gov.