Bus driver Bonnie Livingston was just weeks into her new job when she found herself having to put her safety training to quick use.
Her level-headed actions during the Sept. 11 collision prompted the Colonie Central High School Parent Teacher Student Association to honor her at the Monday, Oct. 6, meeting.
The meeting, held at the Colonie High School, began with a small ceremony for Livingston. PTSA President Stephanie Cogan presented Livingston with a plaque of appreciation and a variety of gift cards to local businesses to thank her for keeping her riders safe and calm.
“Due to the fact that Bonnie was transporting all of the high school students, and since we are the high school PTSA, we thought it was right to honor her safety and all she had done for the kids,” said PTSA Vice President Jeff Zelka.
The incident occurred Thursday, Sept. 11. During the afternoon ride home, Livingston’s bus collided with a Burnt Hills bus after that driver ran through a stop sign. According to Peter Tunny, director of transportation in the South Colonie School District, it was lucky that Livingston remembered her training and kept the collision from becoming much worse.
“Our bus was leaving Colonie Central High School and was travelling west on Consul Road,” Tunny said. “At the intersection at Waterman Avenue, a smaller bus from Burnt Hills failed to stop at the stop sign. The buses collided, and three Burnt Hills students were injured.”
The students were taken to the hospital and released the same day, with only minor injuries. No Colonie students were injured, which Tunny attributes to Livingston’s quick thinking and calm composure.
“What makes this interesting is that Bonnie just came to us. She came to us last June,” Tunny says. “This was her first solo run with students, and of course, this was a pretty serious accident. She did a remarkable job. She made sure the students were all right and radioed it in. I think the fact that she just maintained her calm, cool composure helped the students a lot.”
Livingston had been a bus driver for only a short time before crash. She retired from Sears in June, where she had worked for 39 years. Over the summer, she completed the school district’s training course and received her license in bus driving in late August.
“She was able to take what she learned in the classroom and applied it, which not many people can do,” Tunny said. “It was just a stressful situation for everyone, but she handled herself wonderfully.”
Livingston’s levelheaded actions are what led the Colonie Central High School PTSA to honor her during their monthly meeting.
Zelka said that Livingston is a “quiet person,” so she “didn’t want a big deal,” but the PSTA decided that her actions deserved further recognition than just a card.
“We thought it was necessary to acknowledge her duty instead of writing a get-well card, like we did for the students, to the driver who kept our kids safe,” said Zelka.
