School Bus Safety: Beaufort County inspectors take top prize for safety

School Bus Safety: Beaufort County inspectors take top ... (Added: July 22, 2010)

WASHINGTON, N.C. - It's not a very well known competition but the winners take home bragging rights that would make any parent very happy. (more)

0 Ratings | 0 Video Views

Post a Comment or Rate this Video

» View More Videos

Franchise Graphics - Assignment Education

By George Crocker
Published: July 22, 2010
Updated: July 22, 2010 - 6:44 PM

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

WASHINGTON, N.C. - It's not a very well known competition but the winners take home bragging rights that would make any parent very happy.

The North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association holds a competition to determine the best school bus inspector in the state.

A man from Beaufort County has taken home the top prize for the second time in four years.

The summer season doesn't stop school buses in Beaufort County from rolling for two men.

Ashley Whitfield and Danny Reed are responsible for school bus safety inspections.

“I enjoy the inspection process. It helps keep the kids safe,” said Whitfield.

When it comes to making sure things are done right, they're are two of the best. Whitfield just took third place at the competition, Reed took first. “They came up with a contest about 9 years ago of trying to find out who's the best inspector,” said Reed.

He won it in 2007 and has placed in the top twelve the last six years.

If practice makes perfect, they get plenty of it. They have 132 buses to go through every 30 days and believe it or not, when summer rolls around, things get busier.

"We got like two, two and a half months to go back through these buses,” said Reed.

They go through more than 100 items each time including the lights, engines, and even the doors.

"It's not just kicking the tires or checking the lights and letting them roll. You have to think that every child on that bus, you have a responsibility to get them home safely,” said Reed.

Reed will now go for the title of best school bus inspector in a national competition. He took home that title once before in 2007.