Created in 2007, the American School Bus Council came up with the idea in order to celebrate school bus and van drivers. Connie Johnson and her son, Cody Haight, are the owners of Johnson Transportation. Johnson’s great grandfather started it in 1910 and then her grandparents and parents owned the company before she and her son bought it seven years ago.

“Time and time again, we’ve watched our drivers go above and beyond – for their buses, their vans, their students, and for one another,” Johnson said.

Every August the company hosts a safety day for the students who will be starting kindergarten by inviting them to come to the bus garage.

“We go over all of the safety rules with them, let them get on the bus and look around. They go through ‘mock’ bus crossings so they can practice,” Johnson said.

Johnson Transportation owners Connie Johnson and Cody Haight are pictured.

At the end of their time, the students get a treat at Scoops local ice cream shop located inside the Youngsville Hardware store.

“We host this in August and my thoughts on it are that the little ones have never ridden a bus and can be so nervous and if we can take that anxiety away then it will just help them. Our drivers step up and do a fantastic job with the kids and answer questions and teach them about safety,” said Johnson.

“Love the Bus” is something they have participated in for the past few years and with the team enjoying time together, they will gather for lunch with a soup party on Feb. 20. Each of the company’s drivers can enter their own soup with an entry fee. The winner goes home with the entire pot – of money, not just bellies full of soup.

“We are so blessed to have you on our team, and even more blessed to call you family,” Johnson said.