Fifty-four school bus drivers, employed by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) were honored Aug. 15 in the Sequoia Middle School auditorium in Bakersfield for driving a combined 450 years without being involved in an accident. Each driver received a Safe Driving Pin designating the number of years he or she has driven without an accident. Topping the list were Jane Frando and Julia Hughes, who have not had an accident since KCSOS Transportation Services began driving students to school and home, 26 years ago. The awards were presented by Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider, Associate Superintendent Christine Frazier and Assistant Superintendent, Support Services, Tom Valos. Transportation Services Director Paul Linder commended the assembled drivers, telling them that the accident rate for KCSOS school bus drivers had dropped by half over the previous year and that all of the accidents were minor and of the non-injury variety. None of the accidents resulted in more than $500 worth of damages to the buses. Fifteen school bus drivers also received California Highway Patrol (CHP) Safe Driving Certificates from school bus safety officer Mike Reid. Each driver had driven at least 10 years or a minimum of 100,000 miles without a preventable accident. More